National Consultant (Promotion of a Safe Environment for Children in Schools)

Background

The Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) and Education for All (EFA) interventions represent the commitment of the government of Ghana to deliver quality and unhindered education to all children (boys and girls) of school age. However the gains made in achieving universal access, retention and completion especially at the basic school level would be insignificant if the school environment is not deemed safe from child protection violations. For the purpose of this ToR, a safe school is used as a collective term for “a school where there is zero tolerance for violence related to bullying, sexual abuse and corporal punishment among others”.

The effect of punishment on children is not only damaging but it is also not an effective disciplinary tool with both short and long term consequences leading to aggression, a lack of caring for others, apathy towards learning; and causing greater problems for teachers, children, caregivers etc.

Situation of violence in Ghanaian schools

The 2014 UNICEF Child Protection Baseline Research also revealed that “corporal punishment” especially caning is widespread in schools and is carried out to sometimes excessive levels, inflicting serious physical and psychological damage on children. Almost three quarters (74%) of children in the survey cited physical harm by a teacher or someone else, physical work, humiliation, shouting, suspension or exclusion from class as the repercussion for doing something wrong in school.

Why violence persists in schools

Inadequate knowledge and skills on the part of teachers on positive discipline have been cited as a major factor for the continued practice of violence in schools. Often violence by teachers are in response to behaviours learnt through cultural practices and such expectations which associates punishment as a tool for disciplining children. The good part however, is that such unwholesome behaviour can also be “un-learned” by raising awareness on the physical and psychological effect of punishment and also building teachers capacity on positive disciplining techniques.

While this consultancy will focus on the school as a safe environment, parents in particular will be actively engaged throughout the process of developing the tools and subsequently in the implementation of the safe school environment.

Strategies towards safe school environments – the way forward

The change process for creating a safe school environment will be delivered by UNICEF and GES through a three-pronged strategy:

Strategy 1 will involve developing a comprehensive toolkit on safe schools for teachers and children. The toolkit will be used to support training of teacher’s to improve their skills and competence in the methodology for teaching and engaging with children in the classroom and classroom management.

Strategy 2 will focus on greater Community Involvement and Participation against violence in the schools, homes and communities. This strategy is outside the scope of the current ToR and will be developed along a staggered time-line through a separate consultancy.

Strategy 3 will involve integrating safe school programme at the pre-service teacher training. This strategy will be developed and operationalized after completion of strategy 1. Through collaboration with the University of Cape Coast, Colleges of Education and other stakeholders, the objective is to support GES to integrate the programme into the curriculum of Colleges of Education.

The scope and objectives of this TOR will only address Strategy 1.

Methodology

The process of developing the toolkit will involve hiring two consultants (an International Consultant and a National Consultant). The International Consultant as the Team Leader will provide leadership and quality assurance on the entire process. The National Consultant will work in close coordination and collaboration with an International Consultant to contextualize the tools and resources to the Ghana context.

Once the two consultants are on board, GES/UNICEF will facilitate a meeting between them to work out the details of their individual roles/responsibilities. The outcome of this meeting will be elaborated in the inception report.

The two consultants will collaborate with GES who is the major partner and implementer of the outcome of this consultancy and UNICEF to undertake this consultancy. Other associated sectors (health, social welfare, community development and INGOs/NGOs) would be engaged in the process as well, building on the collective and broad-based process used for the development of the Communication for Social Change Strategy for safe schools

Specific Tasks

1. Draft aspects of the inception report on his/her role in relation to the international consultant that will ensure the realisation of the overall strategy, steps, and timeline to achieving the objectives of the consultancy. The draft will be discussed and agreed with the international consultant;
2. Support GES to plan and organise a stakeholder’s meeting. The stakeholder’s meeting will review “what exists and what works” with regard to strategies/activities being used by the different stakeholders on safe schools environment in the context of Ghana.

The national consultant will be the key facilitator in the meeting. He/she will produce and submit to UNICEF and GES a report on the meeting.

1. Provide the International Consultant with technical input to help with the conceptualisation of the outline for the process that will lead to the development of the tools/resources.
2. Provide technical input from the Ghanaian perspective in the review and development of the following required tools and resources:

· Head teachers handbook and Teacher’s code of conduct harmonised and and consistent with the requirements of the safe school initiative;

· Guidance and counselling handbook with an enhanced focus on positive discipline;

· Training manual for teachers with focus on positive discipline and effective classroom management;

· Child to child (peer educators) manual on the role and responsibilities of learners in a safe school environment;

· Behaviour and social change materials/resources to support the safe school initiative;

1. Field test the toolkit and resources and include comments/inputs from the pre-testing phase into the materials.
2. Identify a simple monitoring framework based on identification of common indicators (the key line indicators could be selected from the EMIS) of change that can be measured and tracked on safe schools. The monitoring framework will be used to generate data on the effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of the safe school environment.
3. Develop the Trainer of Trainers (ToT) guide that will be used to train teachers from 20 districts to operationalise the safe school initiative.
4. Finalize and submit all final products and resources including a final report outlining key observations and recommendations.

Expected Deliverables

Activities/Tasks

Deliverables

Timeframe

1. Input to the inception report to be finalised by the International Consultant. The report will outline the overall strategy, steps, and timeline to achieve the objectives of the consultancy. Special attention would be paid to highlighting the complementary and supportive roles of the international and national consultancies with a clear list of individual deliverables and timelines and how these contribute to the overall objectives of the consultancy.

Input to inception report discussed with the international consultant for incorporation into the final inception report.

3 days

1. Support planning and organization of a consultation and planning process that would reveal and discuss ‘what exists and what works’ with regards to strategies for making the schools safe and free from violence, including alternatives to corporal punishment.
2. Consultation process with stakeholders and facilitated by consultant completed.
3. Consultant submits a report to include key strategies, approaches and recommendations on safe school environment for Ghana.

10 days

1. Support the international consultant to conceptualise and draft the outline of the process that will guide the development of the tools/resources. The concept note will be shared with UNICEF.
2. Technical input provided to the International Consultant for the development of the concept note.

6 days

1. Contribute to development and finalisation of appropriate tools, training resources and tool kit on safe schools.

Technical input provided to enable the International Consultant develop, review, revise the following materials:

• Head teachers handbook (2010) and Teacher’s code of conduct (2008);
• Handbook on guidance and counselling with an enhanced focus on positive discipline;
• A training manual for teachers including positive discipline and effective classroom management;
• A child to child (peer educators) manual on the roles and responsibilities of learners on safe school;
• Behaviour and social change materials to support the safe school initiative.

40 days

1. Identify common monitoring indicators of change that can be measured and tracked in support of safe schools for discussion and approval by the international consultant and GES (the key line indicators could be selected from the EMIS).
2. monitoring indicators provided to the international consultant.

7 days

1. Field test the toolkit and incorporate comments/inputs from the pre-testing.
2. toolkit piloted and report submitted.

30 days

1. Support to facilitate a TOT involving participants from 20 districts using the developed documents.
2. Provide lead facilitation in the National Trainer of Trainers (ToT) workshop. The workshop will also be used to validate the toolkits.

10 days

1. Finalize and submit all documents including a final report with key observations and recommendations for future.
2. Develop and submit to the international consultant the final draft on all documents he/she was lead.

14 days

DURATION

120 days

All deliverables will be submitted to the Supervisor of the consultancy i.e. The Child Protection Specialist (L3). Each deliverable will be presented in MS Microsoft Word Format in a soft copy and one-bound hard copy. For the ToT materials, the final version will be in camera ready format.

Timeframe 120 Working Days starting January 2016 and finishing on September 2016

Reporting The consultant will be formally supervised by Child Protection Specialist (L3). A time-table (Road map) will be developed by the lead consultant (with input of the national consultant) to regularise the periodic meetings for the consultants to report as well as update GES/UNICEF on the consultancy.

Payment Schedule:

• 20% upon completion of deliverables 1, 2; &3;
• 30% upon completion of the toolkit, including a revised teacher’s code of conduct; a reviewed handbook; a training manual for teachers; a child to child (peer educators) manual; behaviour and social change materials/resources, deliverable 4;
• 30% upon completion of the field testing of the toolkit and the facilitation of a TOT, deliverables 5 and 6;
• 20% upon completion of the final documents and final report, deliverable 7 and 8.

Expected background and Experience

1. Advanced Degree in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, education, international law or other social science field is required
2. A minimum of 8 years of experience in child protection issues in education with focus on positive discipline approaches, techniques and other strategies to promote a safe, violence free school environment in developing countries;
3. Solid understanding of education in developing context, teacher and educational capacity-strengthening processes and curriculum reform is desirable;
4. Excellent process, planning, facilitation and change management skills and ability to work in partnership with Government and other stakeholders;
5. Individual must be highly self-motivated and results oriented;
6. Previous work experience with UNICEF, a UN agency or NGO in similar assignment is an asset.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

1. The consultant/s should provide his/her own stationery and office materials/ consumables – computer, data storage devices, paper etc.
2. The consultant/s will not be entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
3. Applicable DSA will be paid when required to travel outside of Accra for the purpose of the assignment. UNICEF will be responsible for transportation cost for trips outside Accra.
4. The consultant team is expected to have a work space within the GES offices. Some parts of the assignment can also be undertaken from the consultants’ place of residence.

Policy both parties should be aware of

1. Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays.
2. No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant or Contractor.
3. For international consultants outside the duty station, signed contracts must be sent by fax or email. Signed contract copy or written agreement must be received by the office before travel commences (in the case of individual consultants, TA must be issued).
4. Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget
5. No consultant may travel without a signed travel authorization prior to the commencement of the journey to the duty station (for international consultants under individual contract)
6. Unless authorized, UNICEF will buy the tickets of the consultant (for international consultants under individual contract). In exceptional cases, the consultant may be authorized to buy their travel tickets and shall be reimbursed at the “most economical and direct route” but this must be agreed to beforehand. In case of institutional contract, the organization will be responsible for making its own travel arrangements.
7. Consultant will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that they have appropriate health insurance, including Medical Evacuation.
8. The Form 'Designation, change or revocation of beneficiary' must be completed by the consultant upon arrival, at the HR Section.

HOW TO APPLY:

If interested, please complete the United Nations Personal History form (P11) and include a copy of your CV, academic Certificate, motivation letter, and indicated fees for the services to be provided. The fee should be expressed on a daily basis. Please indicate the title of the consultancy in the subject line and send your application directly to:

email: HRghana@unicef.org

OR

mail to : The Human Resources Officer, UNICEF, P.O. Box 5051,

Accra-North.

The P11 form can be downloaded from: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc

Applications submitted without the P11 form will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified.