National consultancy – Expert to support the reforms in the Higher General Secondary Education (Gymnasium)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Education

North Macedonia’s higher general secondary education system has remained largely unchanged for over two decades, despite significant shifts in global education trends and the evolving needs of students. This prolonged period without reform has led to a growing disconnect between the current system and contemporary educational best practices, particularly in terms of preparing students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

In recent years, North Macedonia has made strides in reforming its primary education system, focusing on improving the quality of teaching, modernizing curricula, and ensuring inclusivity. However, the higher general secondary education system, which serves approximately 25,000 students, is lagging behind and requires a comprehensive reform to ensure continuity between this and lower levels of education. Moreover, there is a pressing need to align North Macedonia’s higher general secondary education with European education standards and broader global trends, ensuring students acquire the skills, knowledge, and competencies essential for success in the 21st century.

The Ministry of Education and Science recognizes that higher general secondary education must evolve to meet these demands. This reform aims to modernize curricula, prioritizing transferable skills such as critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, cooperation, empathy and green and digital skills. Furthermore, the reform will incorporate gender-transformative approaches, and ensure the education system is both inclusive and compatible with European standards. To this end, an expert will be engaged to lead the process of designing a comprehensive concept for higher general secondary education reform, grounded in thorough research and stakeholder input. The expert will help to bridge the gap between current educational practices and the future needs of students and society.

The education system is undergoing a review to align with modern pedagogical practices and prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century. This initiative aims to create a comprehensive concept for higher general secondary education reform, informed by research, stakeholder input, and best practices. UNICEF will engage a consultant to lead activities from the research phase through to the writing the final concept and developing training modules.

How can you make a difference? 

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

Phase 1:  Development of a research plan and instruments

Work assignment:

• Conduct a literature review of national and international trends in higher general secondary education reform.
• Prepare research instruments (surveys, questionnaires, etc.) to gather input from students, teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders.
• Analyze existing data related to high school performance, graduation rates, curriculum effectiveness, and student outcomes.

Deliverables:
•  Research plan prepared.
•  Instruments for data collection (surveys, focus group guides, questionnaires) developed.

Timeframe: five working days by 15 November 2024, 

Phase 2: Data Collection and Processing

Work assignment:

• Design and administer research instruments for various data collection methods (surveys, focus groups, interviews, etc.).
• Facilitate 5 focus groups and 5 interviews with key stakeholders (e.g., educators, students, parents).
• Compile and analyze collected data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities in higher general secondary education.

Deliverables:

• Compiled raw data from various data collection methods (surveys, focus groups, interviews, etc.).

Timeframe: 13 working days by 31 December 2024

Phase 3: Development of a comprehensive report synthesizing research findings and data analysis 

Work assignment:

• Prepare a comprehensive report that synthesizes research findings and data analysis.
• Identify key areas and recommendations for improvement and innovation in the current higher general secondary education system.

Deliverables:

• Report summarizing key findings from research and stakeholder engagement.

Timeframe: 12 working days by 20 January 2025

Phase 4: Concept Development

Work assignment:

• Draft a concept document for higher general secondary education reform that reflects research findings and aligns with educational goals and standards.
• Ensure that the concept addresses critical areas such as curriculum development, teacher training, student assessment, and inclusivity.

Deliverables:

• PowerPoint presentation summarizing the key aspects of the concept for broader dissemination
• Final concept for higher general secondary education reform

Timeframe: 60 days by 30 March 2025

Phase 5: Training Module Development

Work assignment:

• Prepare a detailed training module for educators and administrators, focusing on the implementation of the proposed educational concept.
• Design the module to be practical, user-friendly, and adaptable to different school environments.

Deliverables:

• Training module for educators and administrators on implementing the new concept.

Timeframe: 15 days by 30 April 2025

Note:  Buy-in from the Ministry of Education and Science must be secured by actively involving key stakeholders throughout the development process. This will ensure that the reform aligns with the Ministry’s strategic priorities and gains their full endorsement for successful implementation.

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

• Advanced degree, Ph.D. in Education
• At least 15 years of experience in educational research and or educational reform projects.
• Proven experience in designing and conducting educational research, including surveys, focus groups, and data analysis.
• Strong understanding of national and international education standards and trends.
• Experience in writing high-level reports and developing training materials.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Fluency of English and Macedonian language is required. Knowledge of other local languages is an asset.

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 here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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. 

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.