Individual Consultant to Support the Review and Revision

Request for Expression of Interest (Individual Consultant Selection)

Supporting the Review and Revision of Kindergarten Education Resources for Gaza

(Lump-Sum Contract)

Introduction

The Ministry of Education & Higher Education (MOEHE) has received a grant from the World Bank to implement the “Supporting an Education Reform Agenda for Improved Teaching, Assessment and Career Pathways (SERATAC)” program. The program aims at improving education outcomes of primary and secondary students and increasing student pathways to tertiary education and the labor market.”

Rationale of the assignment

Cognizant of the importance of children’s formative early years, the Palestinian Authority adopted a National Early Childhood Development (ECD) Strategy in 2017. The strategy identified the low level of qualifications of kindergarten (KG) teachers as a key challenge to improving the quality of KG services in Palestine. To support the implementation of the ECD strategy, under the Improving ECD in the West Bank and Gaza Project, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) developed a set of resources to support KG teachers improve the quality of their teaching. 

Since the development of the KG teacher resources was completed, the education system in Gaza has effectively collapsed. Schools have suffered extensive destruction, with latest estimates showing that education is the sector most impacted by war in Gaza, experiencing more physical damage and destruction than any other sector. This wholesale destruction of Gaza’s education system has left students unable to access learning for over a year, with young children acutely impacted, having missed out on critical ECE and are experiencing toxic stress detrimental to the developing brain.

III. Objective of the Consultancy

The objective of the consultancy is to support the MoEHE to conduct a comprehensive review of the KG teacher resources developed under the ECD project and adapt the materials for use in Gaza once a ceasefire is reached and large-scale learning can be reinstated.

Scope of work

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Palestinian MoEHE, Ramallah, for an estimated duration of 60 days. The consultant shall be based in Ramallah and will be expected to meet regularly with the MoEHE and key stakeholders to: (1) review existing KG teacher resources developed under the ECD project and propose relevant changes and adaptations to meet the needs of KG teachers in Gaza post-ceasefire, and (2) make the necessary adaptations and revisions to the KG teacher resources. The set of KG teacher resources developed under the ECD project include: 1) A set of KG2 lesson plans to support teaching and regulate assessment (a total of 18 weekly plans and 108 daily lesson plans); 2) An introductory module for teachers that overviews the use of lesson plans, and 3) a KG toolkit with a package of teaching and learning materials (TLM) to support KGs in implementing lesson plans. A key deliverable of this consultancy is to update and make revisions to this set of KG teacher resources.

Task #1: Review existing KG teacher resources and propose relevant changes and adaptations to meet the needs of KG teachers in Gaza

The consultant will conduct an in-depth review of existing KG teacher resources developed under the ECD project. The review will be focused on the usability and relevance of the KG teacher resources in Gaza post-ceasefire. Key considerations will include, for example, whether the volume of content presented within lesson plans is appropriate, whether the content in the lesson plans themselves remains suitable/relevant in Gaza, and whether additional changes need to be made to the toolkit or introductory teacher module to facilitate the implementation of the revised lesson plans. 

The outcome of this review will be a proposal document, approved by the MoEHE, that identifies i) the priority areas for adaptation and revision of the KG teacher resources, and ii) new and additional resources that may need to be developed to support KG teachers. In conducting this review, the consultant is expected to reference relevant background materials including, for example, the Palestinian Teachers Manual, Palestinian ECE Curriculum Framework, Literacy, Numeracy Expectations, and SEL Competencies, and the Situational Analysis of the Quality of Kindergarten Services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 

Task #2: Adaptation and revision of KG teacher resources

Based on an approved proposal of changes, the consultant will make revisions to the existing KG teacher resources. This includes, for example, changes to 1) the introductory module to the KG lesson plans, 2) the set of KG lesson plans, and 3) the KG toolkit (including proposed TLMs required to support the implementation of these lesson plans in the context of Gaza). The consultant is expected to submit a proposal to the MoEHE for conducting light-touch consultations and gathering feedback on the proposed updates to these materials—such as through an online survey—from key stakeholders, including teachers in Gaza. Upon approval of this consultations plan, the consultant will work with MoEHE to gather key feedback in accordance to the plan. After consultations, and following final edits to the KG teacher resources, the consultant will deliver an updated set of KG teacher resources to the MoEHE for their review and final approval.

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Minimum required qualifications

The following competencies, knowledge, and skills will be required:

Education: A master’s degree from an accredited university in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Child Psychology, or a related field is required; Graduate Diploma or PhD is preferable.

Relevant Experience: At least 7 years of demonstrated experience, covering, including but not limited to, the following aspects:

• Experience in the field of ECE (child pedagogy, early literacy, early numeracy, learning through play, etc.).
• Experience with INGOs and/ or projects funded by international donors is preferred.
• Experience in curriculum design and development of training materials for pre-service and/or in-service professional development programs targeting kindergarten and/or basic education teachers.
• Experience in working on ECE and/or teacher professional development in Palestine. 
• Extensive knowledge of evidence-based best practices relating to teacher professional development programs at kindergarten and/or basic education levels. 
• Strong knowledge of technical tools, resources, and standards related to early childhood development, and education in emergencies and post-conflict settings. 

Soft skills: 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Arabic.
• Excellent organization and time management skills. 
• Excellent report writing skills in Arabic are required, and English are desirable.
• Professional Working Proficiency in English is desirable. 
• Excellent abilities in using shared drives, Microsoft package, Google forms, Outlook tools and online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Teams. 

Time Frame & Type of Contract:

The contract will be for 3 months from January 20th, 2025 until April 20th, 2025. The estimated Level of Effort is (35) man/day.

The consultant will be selected in accordance with the “World Bank Procurement Regulations for Investment Project Financing Borrowers” dated July 2016, revised November 2017, and in August 2018, November 2020, and September 2023 (Selection of Individual Consultants).

The contract type is Lump-sum, and payment will be disbursed upon the delivery of all required deliverables and achieving the anticipated assignment’s outcomes that are technically acceptable to the Client. 

Applications (CVs demonstrating the consultant’s previous experiences) must be delivered to [email protected], indicating the consultancy name in the subject line, no later than December 18, 2024. Consultants who are interested in accessing the detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) may visit the following link: https://tinyurl.com/y2r6ufyu

World Bank Projects Coordination Unit -PCU, Ministry of Education & Higher Education

Hanna Ajlouni Street/ Al-Masyoun

Ramallah- West Bank

E-mail: [email protected]/ [email protected] 

Tel: 02-2969352                           

Mobile: +970562503678