Contract Duration - 12.3 monts

Working arrangement - Remote work, Education Section, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

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TERMS OF REFERENCE

Tajikistan has been pursuing a national Competency-Based Education (CBE) reform since 2012, supported by the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) and a coalition of development partners including the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the World Bank, the European Union (Quality Education Support Programme), USAID, AKF, OSI, and UNICEF. Successive phases produced new subject standards for primary and secondary education, an initial cohort of CBE policy and training materials, and cascade-mode teacher training.

In 2021, the Government endorsed the National Strategy for Education Development to 2030 (NSED 2030), which sets four strategic priorities: (i) equity and access to education; (ii) quality of education; (iii) financial sustainability and efficiency of the sector; and (iv) a national professional network for scientific and technical development. The NSED 2030 results framework draws on SDG 4 indicators, but in the absence of a functioning monitoring mechanism and with the Joint Sector Review suspended since 2018, reliable tracking of progress remains limited.

Recent learning assessments (EGRA, IsDB/GPE Baseline) confirm persistent learning gaps. The COMPACT Partnership document, agreed between MoES and development partners, identifies four areas requiring transformational change: curriculum, teacher preparation and professional development, learning assessment, and efficiency of education management (EMIS, evidence-based decision-making). Phase I of the joint IsDB/GPE/OFID Project (TJK1043) advanced foundational work in these areas; however, the Stocktaking exercise found that many outputs remained at the level of the MoES central apparatus and were not embedded in the practice of affiliated institutions.

Phase II of the IsDB/GPE/OFID Project addresses this institutionalization gap by working through, rather than around, MoES structures. Component 2 — Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Education Services — organizes the reform around three interdependent subcomponents: (2.1) CBE curriculum reform; (2.2) teacher professional development reform, both pre-service and in-service; and (2.3) learning assessment and achievement monitoring, including CBE-aligned teaching and learning materials. Year 2 of Phase II is the period in which the foundational designs developed in Year 1 must be finalized, validated, field-tested, and embedded in MoES institutional mandates.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide ongoing, system-level coordination and technical support to the MoES for the implementation of Component 2 of the IsDB/GPE/OFID Project (Phase II) during Year 2 (June 2026 – July 2027), building on results achieved under Phase I and ensuring coherence, sequencing, and quality across the three subcomponents.

The specific objectives of the assignment are to:

• Coordinate and align activities, deliverables, and timelines across Subcomponents 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 so that curriculum, teacher development, and assessment reforms advance as a single, coherent CBE system.

• Support the MoES and affiliated institutions in finalizing, endorsing, and institutionalizing the Year 2 deliverables under each subcomponent.

• Ensure that international consultants, national experts, MoES Expert Groups, and UNICEF technical staff operate through unified workplans, shared review processes, and consistent quality standards.

• Strengthen national ownership by working through existing MoES mandates and avoiding parallel structures, in line with the COMPACT Partnership and NSED 2030.

• Provide timely advocacy, evidence packages, and reporting to MoES leadership, the Local Education Group (LEG), the Project Steering Committee, and development partners (IsDB, GPE, OFID).

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Download File TMC0003222 External ToR 3.pdf

Minimum Qualification required:

Education

Masters degree in the fields of education, system reform with focus on CBE teacher preparation and professional development related to competency based education, use of technology, blended-learning approaches and Inclusive education or another relevant field.

Work experience

At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in the area of education, teacher training, and/or lifelong learning at the policy, management and operational levels with the MoES and affiliated institutions. Previous Experience in current education reform is an asset.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills

Strong knowledge and skills in education policy reform, specifically in Central Asia, with a focus on curriculum reform based on Competency-Based Education principles. The ability to develop student-centered curricula that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and inclusivity to meet diverse learning needs.

Strong coordination skills; analytical and conceptual thinking; ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams (TLM, CPL, Assessment) and guide policy discussions; demonstrated ability to work closely with national coordinators and proactively support national counterparts; excellent writing, communication, editorial, and presentation skills; ability to deliver under tight timeframes and to the highest quality

Language Requirements

Proficiency in Tajik and Russian is required; knowledge of English (written and spoken) is considered an asset.

Desirables

Experience in Phase I and/or Phase II of the IsDB/GPE project to support programmatic and policy reform is highly desirable. Experience with the national context of education development, including curriculum requirements, approval processes, and quality assurance mechanisms, and strong understanding of the broader education ecosystem, including institutional roles, stakeholder dynamics, and reform priorities is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal TMC0003222 Financial proposal.docx
Applicants must submit a max of 5-10 pages technical proposal that includes:

(1) a detailed activity plan aligned with the project deliverables;

(2) a realistic 􀆟meline, preferably presented as a Gantt chart;

(3) the milestones and key outputs to be produced;

(4) the proposed approach and methodology for coordinating the three subcomponents (2.1, 2.2 and 2.3).

Remarks:

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

National Coordinator – IsDB/GPE/OFID Education Reform Project, Phase II (Year 2), Component 2: Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Education Services, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 12.3 months, Remote,