United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: National Individual Consultant for Development of Minimum Standards for a Safe School

Job no: 535177
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Contract type: Consultancy
Level: Consultancy
Categories: Education

For Every Child, Education

• Nigeria was part of the first group of 37 countries that endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) on May 29th, 2015.
• The Honourable Minister of Education signed the Letter of Endorsement on March 8th, 2018. Similarly, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on 20th March 2019 approved the Memorandum on “Mainstreaming and Implementation of the SSD Laws and Policies in Nigeria” thus paving the way for the domestication of SSD.
• As a key action towards this, the Federal Ministry of Education has developed a draft National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence -Free schools in Schools as part of its commitments to safeguarding and protecting learners, teachers and education personnel.
• In addition, the present efforts towards the development of Minimum Standards that define as school as safe is another key component under the approval from the FEC which will be aligned to the Draft policy (National Policy on safety and security and Violence-free schools in Nigeria, NPSSSV) that currently exists

How can you make a difference?

• The overall objective of this consultancy is to develop the National Minimum Standards on School Safety and Security (with Guidance Notes) based on the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-free schools in Nigeria.
• The minimum standards are expected to improve the implementation of the NPSSSV as a practical document to be used at school level by administrators, teachers, facilitators, SBMCs and private education providers.
• The development for the minimum standards will be led by UNICEF, in very close coordination with the FME and EiEWGN. This activity is in line with the SSD Plan of Action 2018-2020.
• The consultant will also develop a strategy for the piloting of the standards which will be adopted nationally.
• The consultant will work closely FME, EiEWGN and other relevant stakeholders.
• The minimum standards should take the Child Rights Act 2003 into consideration and be written with a child protection approach.
• Technical support to ensure that Child Protection is included will be provided by UNICEF and partners.
• The consultant will be hired for two months.

Scope of Work:

• In close consultation with EiEWGN and relevant sectors, agreement on a work plan for the development of minimum standards in a one-day Inception Workshop
• Summarization of key components of minimum standards and presentation of them to the EiEWGN
• Collection of evidence from relevant stakeholders that reflects the needs and input into the minimum standards (including already existing assessments from CBOs, NGOs, FME, SMoE, SAME, SUBEBs).
• Drafting of minimum standards guided by the NPSSSV and based on the input from the EiEWGN and other relevant experiences. The minimum standards should include assessment tools and indicators, for both self-assessment (for the school) and external assessment tools (for SMOE, SUBEB, SAME, SBMCs, MoD, NCDC, SMoH or other implementing partners).
• of the draft SSD minimum standards in a national workshop with technical experts across sectors relating to the MS towards arriving at a consensus.
• Pilot testing of the Draft SSD minimum standards in agreed locations (formal and non-formal settings)
• Amendment of the Draft SSD minimum standards following feed-back from the consensus workshop, UNICEF and other key stakeholders and from the pilot testing in the agreed locations through a validation workshop.
• Development of a plan for the piloting of the minimum standards (which should include an evaluation of the implementation of the standards.
• Presentation of findings and final minimum standards at validation workshop

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

• Advanced university degree in one or more of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Sociology; Anthropology; Law, Education);
• Minimum five years of relevant work experience of which two at national and international levels in field programmes relevant to Education;
• Understanding of the SSD and its application in the Nigerian context
• Documented experience writing manuals, standards or evaluations;
• Fluency in English and overall good communication;
• Ability to express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written;
• Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications;
• Experience working with/in the UN or other international development organizations in the social sector or in national level development assistance and partnership support to government programmes and priorities is an asset;
• Good communication and advocacy skills: Ability to communicate with various stakeholders, and to express ideas and concepts concisely and clearly in written and oral form.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at:
https://unicef.sharepoint.com/:b:/r/sites/DHR-UCF/SiteAssets/SitePages/DHR-UCF/Competency%20Framework%20Brochure.pdf?csf=1&web=1&e=IPpgba

Application Closing Date
20th October, 2020 (W. Central Africa Standard Time).