Consultancy, Education Management Information System (EMIS) Integration, Windhoek, Namibia (Open for both Internationals and Nationals)

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For every child, education

Background:

EMIS is integral to the effective governance of education systems, facilitating data-driven decision-making, policy formulation, and strategic planning. In Namibia, the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture (MEIYSAC) has undertaken efforts to modernize its EMIS to meet evolving education management demands. As part of this initiative, the Ministry seeks to develop a live EMIS system to ensuring a more comprehensive and integrated approach to education data management, going beyond only collecting school data.

To achieve this objective, the Ministry aims to implement UNESCO’s EMIS Progress Assessment Tool for Transformation (PATT) to systematically assess institutional capacities, identify strengths and gaps, and determine the necessary investments and reforms needed to optimize data management, analysis, reporting, and utilization for policy and planning. EMIS PATT evaluates national education system management based on four key dimensions and twelve sub-dimensions:

• Governance: Examines the policy ecosystem, strategic frameworks, multi-stakeholder and multisectoral collaboration, and financial resources essential for effective EMIS operation and alignment with national education priorities.
• Management: Assesses organizational structures, institutional processes, human resource capacity, and stakeholder engagement critical for sustainable EMIS operations.
• Technical Architecture: Evaluates the availability, reliability, and accessibility of technical infrastructure (hardware, software, connectivity/networks), including standards of operations, and digital services required for data management and reporting.
• Data and Information Services: Focuses on data coverage and quality, data collection methodologies, validation, timeliness, and usability to ensure informed decision-making and effective education planning.

How can you make a difference?

Scope of Work:

The individual consultant will undertake the following key responsibilities:

1. Lead the country-level EMIS diagnostic process, providing technical and policy guidance, and capacity-building support based on the EMIS PATT framework.
2. Conduct field missions to engage directly with national education stakeholders, assess EMIS needs and challenges, and offer on-site technical assistance for system enhancement.
3. Undertake research and data collection, producing evidence-based analyses to inform decision-making processes on EMIS transformation.

Prioritizing these responsibilities, the individual consultant will focus on delivering concrete outputs to support evidence-based decision-making and strategic EMIS enhancement.

1. Conduct a full-scale EMIS PATT assessment to evaluate Namibia’s EMIS across all relevant dimensions and subdimensions. The EMIS system should include an integration of ECD-MIS data, which is currently housed under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, the existing census based EMIS system which covers pre-primary, primary as well as secondary education, and youth data hosted under the directorate of Youth development. The assessment should also look at all existing relevant online data systems in use within the Ministry such as the school feeding database, School link, OpenEMIS, higher education, and others with a view to the development of one single comprehensive EMIS system that meets the comprehensive data needs of the Ministry and which includes unique identifiers for learners.
2. Prepare an Analytical Country Report, presenting an in-depth assessment of the EMIS landscape and identifying strategic areas for improvement.
3. Formulate a costed operational plan, outlining a structured and actionable framework for enhancing EMIS functionality, integration and sustainability. The costed plan should show the full cost of comprehensive development of the EMIS system over time and should be sequenced in phases to ensure feasibility and affordability. The costing should also include short, medium and longer term capacity strengthening for sustainable system management and ownership within the Ministry.

Work Assignment Overview

Deliverables/Outputs

Delivery Deadline

Estimated Budget

Stage 1: Inception Phase (10 working days )

The Consultant will develop and submit an Inception Report which will include the following.

a) Clear outline of the EMIS PATT conceptual framework and methodology and its use in the Namibian context.

b) Reviews the provided documents, contextualize the tools, verify the questionnaire against available evidence, and utilized these information to inform the Inception Report

c) Develop a detailed work plan and timelines.

d) Present the Inception Report including the EMIS PATT conceptual framework and methodology, to the DATA Transformation Steering Committee at the kick-off meeting, for discussion and endorsement.

e) Incorporate inputs from the DATA Transformation Steering Committee in the final Inception report and its work plan and resubmit.

Inception and Presentation to the DATA Transformation Steering Committee (DTSC)

10 working days

20%

Stage 2: Conducting the On-site EMIS Assessment (30 Working days)

a) Conduct a series of in-person technical working sessions over an onsite mission, collaborating with the DATA Transformation Steering Committee and stakeholders to review scores and indicative questions across the four dimensions of the EMIS assessment, identifying key improvement areas for each sub-dimension and potential activities for system strengthening per improvement areas.

b) Develop a slide deck summarizing the draft analysis and strategic improvement areas for discussion with the DATA Transformation Steering Committee and the Ministry leadership. This will be presented on the final day of the technical working sessions.

Conducting the On-site EMIS

Assessment (6 weeks – 35 Working days)

a) Preliminary assessment report outlining strategic improvement areas.

b) Conducting and moderating the in-person technical working sessions

35 working days

30%

Stage 3: Developing Assessment Report and Costed Operational Plan (20 working days)

a) Analyze the mission findings, verifies the evidence collected during the technical sessions, and prepares an initial draft Analytical Report (findings and recommendations) and the Costed Operational Plan (per activity).

b) Present the draft Analytical Report (findings and recommendations) and the Costed Operational Plan (per activity) to the DATA Transformation Steering Committee (meeting) for quality assurance.

c) Incorporate all inputs from the DATA Transformation Steering Committee (DTSC).

d) Present the Analytical Report (findings and recommendations) and the Costed Operational Plan to the wider stakeholders and (DTSC) for validation (1 day Workshop).

e) Incorporate all inputs from the wider consultation.

f) DATA Transformation Steering Committee present the Analytical Report (findings and recommendations) and the Costed Operational Plan (per activity) to the Ministry Management Team for review and feedback.

g) The consultant incorporates feedback from the Ministry Management Team and finalize the Analytical Report (findings and recommendations) and the Costed Operational Plan (per activity for submission and endorsement.

h) Develop a concise advocacy report (5-10 pages).

Developing Assessment Report and Costed Operational Plan (4 Weeks – 20 working days)

a) The Analytical Country Report with strategic improvement areas recommendations.

b) The costed operational plan

20 working days

45%

Stage 4: Develop a concise advocacy report (2-3 pages) (5 working days)

a) Developed a short summary document that can be used for advocacy at a high level – highlighting a short background, key findings and recommendations.

Develop a concise advocacy report (2-3 pages)

5 working days

5%

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s) in Statistics, Economics or related discipline.
• A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in Statistics, Economics or related discipline.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Required experience:

• Previous experience on EMIS or similar platforms.
• At least 7 years of experience in data management, data analytics for education system strengthening, education statistics and EMIS.
• Strong understanding of lifecycle management processes for data, particularly in education.
• Previous experience to collaborate with government agencies.
• Previous experience delivering training programs and conducting workshops.

Desirable professional experience:

• Relevant experience working with UNICEF/UNESCO or other international organizations on similar assignments and knowledge would be an asset.

Required skills/competencies:

• EMIS diagnostic assessments
• Lifecycle management processes for education data
• Data analytics
• Data quality assessment
• Policy consultation, review and stakeholder engagement
• Data visualization
• Demonstrated understanding of socio-economic context of Namibia, including human and institutional capacities for data systems in education

Evaluation Criteria

A) Technical Evaluation (e.g. maximum 75 Points)

B) Financial Proposal (e.g. maximum of 25 Points)

Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including professional fee, travel and living allowance costs, as applicable.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to submit online application before the closing date.

Please submit expression of interest together with:

• A cover letter, no longer than 1 page, and curriculum vitae showing how the Consultant meets the required qualifications, experience, and expertise.
• A Technical Proposal demonstrating the Consultant’s understanding of the Terms of Reference, the proposed methodology/approach, and timelines for the respective deliverables; and
• A Financial Proposal/budget, which must include all expenses related to the assignment.

Incomplete applications e.g., without Technical and financial/budget proposal will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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