Terms of Reference
Consultancy, Promoting Quality Learning Through Play
1. Background
Education is a human right and one of the most wide-reaching and beneficial development investments. Yet, education is facing a crisis. Between 2000 and 2007, the number of primary school-age children who were out of school was reduced from about 100 million to about 60 million. Since then, however, progress in providing education for all has stalled. In 2012, nearly 58 million primary school-age children and about 63 million adolescents of lower secondary school age were still out of school. Out of around 650 million children of primary school age, as many as 250 million children are not learning basic reading and writing skills, even though 130 million of them have spent at least four years in school. There are glaring disparities due to gender, disability, ethnicity, poverty and geographic location. Over half of the world’s out of school children live in conflict affected Much of this crisis has been attributed to a historical focus on improving access to school at the expense of the quality of the opportunities provided, although the lack of agreed metrics with which to assess children’s learning outcomes has also served to exacerbate this situation. However, it is the impact of the learning crisis that matters most for children, as poor learning outcomes limit their opportunities to lead healthy and prosperous lives.
Learning begins at birth and progresses in a cumulative sequence throughout life. A close examination of the formative years reveals that one of the most influential processes on a child’s learning is play. While play is universal, there is a myriad of cultural understandings of play as well as several formal types of play – for example, associative, dramatic, and constructive play. These forms of creative play have been associated with increased cognitive, social, emotional, and language development as the foundations for life-long learning. When children create, they engage in problem solving, they express themselves, and they establish relationships with others. Children need both unstructured play and also gentle guidance during play to help them learn in an engaged manner.
UNICEF in partnership with Lego Foundation is embarking on a 3 year programme to improve the quality of learning through play in the early childhood and primary school age periods.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the inception phase of the partnership. In order to meet the objectives and results of the partnership, the inception phase provides the essential foundation for the activities that will be carried out under the auspices of the partnership.
3. Expected Results
A project plan for the partnership with a detailed M&E framework
4. Duration
April 1st to June 30th, 2015, full time at NYHQ.
5. Activities
I. Desk review and mapping of play related programmes for learning, supported by UNICEF and partners for early childhood and in primary school.
II. Consultations with key UNICEF RO and CO, partners and implementers on the capacity needs of the ECD Kits and Care for Child Development. The aim of the consultations is to identify the key areas of play that need to strengthened in the ECD kit and the CCD tool.
III. Support the start-up tasks of the partnership, as this is the inception phase.
Outputs/deliverables# Days Deadline 1. Desk Review deliverable:
Mapping of Play in ECD and early learning 15 days May 30th 2. Consultation for ECD Kits to generate the specific evaluation questions and tasks to be completed as part of strengthening capacity for Plan.
Deliverable: Proposed work plan to evaluate capacity for ECD Kit implementation 10 days June 30th 3. Consultation for Care for Child Development to generated specific evaluation questions and tasks to be completed as part of strengthening play in CCD
Deliverable: Proposed work plan to evaluate approaches to strengthen play in CCD 10 days June 30th 4. Support Start-up tasks with the sections engaged in the partnership.
Deliverable: coordinating meetings between sections in the partnership. Aligning work plans across DoC and PD on play programming and advocacy; , aligning with the ELDS evaluation, 30 days ongoing Total 65 days
6. Key skills, technical background, and experience required:
- Proven expertise in Early Childhood Development, with technical expertise in learning, specifically early learning and play
- 7-10 years of work experience at mid to senior level
- Experience in Early Childhood Development programme implementation at a global level
- Proven experience in starting up partnerships and projects
- Proven organizational and coordination skills
- Strong writing skills
- Ability to work under pressing deadlines
7. Working arrangements:
The consultancy is primarily NY HQ based.
8. Reporting and supervision:
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the ECD Section Chief and close collaboration with the Education section, PFP and Communications divisions.
10. Remuneration and incurred costs:
The consultant will be paid based on a daily rate for 65 days.
First payment will be made at the end of May, upon quality completion of deliverable 1 (Desk review). The second (and final) payment will be processed upon submission of the final deliverables at the end of the consultancy.
General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors
1. Legal Status
The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractors (the “Contractor”) is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representatives of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a “staff member” under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an “official” for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946. The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of “Experts on Mission” in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.
2. Obligations
The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.
The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract must neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.
In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICE relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.
Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.
3. Title rights
UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.
4. Travel
If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis:
(a) UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.
(b) UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.
5. Statement of good health
Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings “H” and “A”, a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor’s medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be occurred in relation to the statement of good health.
6. Insurance
The Contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of this contract as he or she considers appropriate taking into account, among other things, the requirements of paragraph 5 above. The Contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members. The responsibility of UNICEF and the United Nations is limited solely to the payment of compensation under the conditions described in paragraph 7 below.
7. Service incurred death, injury or illness
If the Contractor is travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF’s expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or is performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval, the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate), shall be entitled to compensation from UNICEF in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the fact that the Contractor was travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF’s expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contractor, or was performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval. Such compensation will be paid through a third party insurance provider retained by UNICEF and shall be capped at the amounts set out in the Administrative Instruction on Individual Consultants and Contractors. Under no circumstances will UNICEF be liable for any other or greater payments to the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate).
8. Arbitration
(a) Any dispute arising out of or, in connection with, this contract shall be resolved through amicable negotiation between the parties.
(b) If the parties are not able to reach agreement after attempting amicable negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days after one party has notified the other of such a dispute, either party may submit the matter to arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL procedures within fifteen (15) days thereafter. If neither party submits the matter for arbitration within the specified time the dispute will be deemed resolved to the full satisfaction of both parties. Such arbitration shall take place in New York before a single arbitrator agreed to by both parties; provided however that should the parties be unable to agree on a single arbitrator within thirty days of the request for arbitration, the arbitrator shall be designated by the United Nations Legal Counsel. The decision rendered in the arbitration shall constitute final adjudication of the dispute.
9. Penalties for Underperformance
Payment of fees to the Contractor under this contractor, including each installment or periodic payment (if any), is subject to the Contractor’s full and complete performance of his or her obligations under this contract with regard to such payment to UNICEF’s satisfaction, and UNICEF’s certification to that effect.
10. Termination of Contract
This contract may be terminated by either party before its specified termination date by giving notice in writing to the other party. The period of notice shall be five (5) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a total period of less than two (2) months and ten (10) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a longer period; provided however that in the event of termination on the grounds of impropriety or other misconduct by the Contractor (including but not limited to breach by the Contractor of relevant UNICEF policies, procedures, and administrative instructions), UNICEF shall be entitled to terminate the contract without notice. If this contract is terminated in accordance with this paragraph 10, the Contractor shall be paid on a pro rata basis determined by UNICEF for the actual amount of work performed to UNICEF’s satisfaction at the time of termination. UNICEF will also pay any outstanding reimbursement claims related to travel by the Contractor. Any additional costs incurred by UNICEF resulting from the termination of the contract by either party may be withheld from any amount otherwise due to the Contractor under this paragraph 10.
11. Taxation
UNICEF and the United Nations accept no liability for any taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant and individual contractor on payments made under this contract. Neither UNICEF nor the United Nations will issue a statement of earnings to the consultant and individual contractor.
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