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UNICEF in Vientiane, Lao PDR is looking for a National Consultant Digital Action Plan to developing a costed five-year Digital Education Action Plan (2026-2030). The duration of this assignment is 8 months starting as soon as possible and the consultant will be working remotely from home.

How can you make a difference? 

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

The national consultant will assist an international consultant (referred throughout as the “consultancy team”) in developing a costed five-year Digital Education Action Plan (2026-2030) in collaboration with the MoES ICT Centre and the MoES Department of Planning. This plan will complement the recently approved MoES 10-year Digital Strategy for Education (2025-2035). The Digital Education Action Plan should extend across the nine education sub-sectors identified in the Education and Sports Sector 1 This includes all sub-sectors except for subsector IX on sport and physical exercise. It is anticipated that each sub[1]sector will be represented as part of the MoES Digital Transformation Committee with the active involvement of development partners operating across each of the sub-sectors. MoES anticipates the Action Plan to follow a similar format to that of the ESSDP 2021-2025 sub-sector section in terms of identified priorities, targets, outcomes, strategies and activities. 2 The digital transformation committee combines key representatives of MoES from across all relevant sub-sectors and line departments. Development Plan (2021-2025). Key responsibilities include providing translation, coordination and technical inputs to support the work of the international consultant. This includes coordinating meetings within government, development partners and private sector partners in coordination with the MoES Digital Transformation Committee. Exact tasks include:

Stage 1: Kick-off Meetings and Inception Report

 • The consultancy team will carry out a kick-off meeting with the MoES ICT Centre, the Department of Planning, the MoES Digital Transformation Committee and UNICEF to set expectations and outline the approach. Insights from this meeting will be used to shape the inception report.

• To further develop the inception report, the consultancy team should examine key legislation, strategy and policy documents as well as the Digital Strategy for Education and its accompanying situation analysis.

 • The consultancy team should help facilitate preliminary meetings with the nine sub-sectors supported by the Digital Transformation Committee.

 • The inception report will detail the consultancy team’s strategy for creating a five-year Digital Education Action Plan for Laos. It will outline the methodology for each task, the data sources, a list of recommended stakeholders and documents to review, and a comprehensive work plan with a clear timeline. The report should not exceed 20 pages, excluding annexes. It will be distributed to the MoES Digital Transformation Committee and UNICEF for review.

• The national consultant should help facilitate all activities under stage 1, including the facilitation of meetings, coordination with partners and translations between Lao and English.

Stage 2: Situational analysis on ICT in Education in Laos

• Based on the ICT in Education Strategy, the consultancy team will develop a tailored situation analysis which looks at the four priority areas identified within the strategy (on Digital Access, Digital Skills, Digital Information and Digital Learning) for each of the nine sub-sectors. This will involve interview with key stakeholders from the MoES, the Ministry of Technology and Communications, development partners, the private sector, particularly Internet Service Providers, and other relevant organizations as well as assessment of key reports and research to develop an updated, more tailored assessment of the current state of ICT in education in Laos. The team should carry out the interviews of teachers, parents/caregivers, and students. It is essential that the situation analysis captures the experiences of vulnerable populations, including children in rural areas, girls, and children with disabilities. This will involve travel to provinces outside of Vientiane capital and intentional outreach to these vulnerable groups to gather evidence and insights on the state of digital equity within the education sector. The national consultant should facilitate this work including needed translations throughout.

• A situation analysis of the four priority areas should highlight opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for the five-year Digital Education Action Plan. This analysis should be presented to UNICEF, the MoES Digital Transformation Committee, and the MTC Digital Government Centre. It should include a basic infrastructure assessment to identify synergies between the MTC, private sector, and partners to address the four priority areas in regions lacking connectivity. It should not exceed 30 pages, excluding annexes. The national consultant should facilitate all work during Stage 2, including coordination support and translation services.

Stage 3: Consultation Workshops

• The consultancy team will work closely with MoES and UNICEF to organize a series of 2-3 workshops 3 with the MoES Digital Transformation Committee and other key actors from across sub-sectors and at the national and sub-national levels (e.g., teacher training institutes, related ministries, private sector representatives). Based on the situation analysis, the workshops will serve to gather inputs from across the education sub-sectors to the four priority areas which form the basis of the Digital Education Action Plan.

•  Prior to the workshops, the consultancy team should prepare a set of slides covering the workshop agenda and a high-level outline for the five-year Action Plan. These slides will guide workshop discussion and should be shared with and reviewed by UNICEF and MoES in advance of the workshop. Incorporating interactive elements (e.g. discussion prompts, polls, or real time surveys) in the slides is strongly recommended. The national consultant should facilitate all work in Stage 3, including coordination support and translation services. Stage 4: Develop First Draft of the Digital Education Action Plan

• Building on the situational analysis and workshops, the consultancy team will create a draft five[1]year Digital Education Action Plan. This draft should focus on the four priority areas of the strategy (digital access, digital skills, digital information and digital learning) and should include (rough) cost estimates for implementation across the sub-sectors.

• The draft Action Plan should be submitted and presented to the MoES Digital Transformation Committee, UNICEF and the Education Sector Working Group and/or its relevant Focal Groups as well as private sector representatives and relevant line ministries for feedback. The Action Plan may also be circulated for comments.

• Feedback from this stage will be used to refine and enhance the draft in preparation for a second draft. The national consultant should facilitate all work in Stage 4, including coordination support and translation services. Stage 5: Presentation of a Second Draft of the Digital Education Action Plan

• Feedback collected during Stage 4 should be used to inform the development of a refined second draft of the ICT in Education Strategy Action Plan.

• The revised second draft should be resubmitted to MoES and UNICEF together with a set of slides summarizing the content of the five-year Digital Education Action Plan for presentation to MoES, relevant line ministries, development partners, the private sector and other relevant organizations as well as to a representation of sub-national authorities, principals, teachers and school communities.

• The presentation of the second draft of the Action Plan may be carried out across 2-3 separate meetings and/or require circulation to accommodate the engagement of different stakeholder groups. The national consultant should facilitate all work in Stage 5, including coordination support and translation services. Stage 6: Finalization of the Digital Education Action Plan

• Feedback from the second round of consultations should be used to develop a penultimate draft of the Digital Education Action Plan for submission to MoES and UNICEF. • This penultimate draft should undergo an additional, final review process, involving circulation and engagement of key stakeholders across 2-3 meetings.

• This will involve the incorporation of final feedback received to produce the final costed Digital Education Action Plan which will be submitted for official endorsement by MoES. The national consultant should facilitate all work in Stage 6, including coordination support and translation services.

This work will require at least at least 120 days in country working closely with the MoES ICT Centre in the development of the Action Plan. At least 20 days of field visits/travel outside of Vientiane but within Laos should also be anticipated.

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

Qualification and experience:

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field such as education, language studies, public policy, information technology, statistics, or other relevant field. In lieu of a specific academic degree, relevant experience may be considered to meet this requirement.

• At least 5 years of professional work experience in any relevant field including international development, teaching/education, ICT in Education, digital learning, ICT in teacher education, professional translation, learning and information management systems preferably in Lao PDR.

Knowledge and skills:

• Excellent interpersonal communication and coordination skills including the ability to work under pressure. Consultant should be at ease liaising with a broad range of stakeholders from both high levels of government and across local communities in Laos.

•  Fluency in English is a requirement.

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents:

• Letter of Interest (cover letter)
• CV or Resume
• Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available)
• Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including medical insurance with medivac, travel and accommodation cost for this assignment as per work assignment

Assessment Criteria:

1. Technical Evaluation 70 points   

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field such as education, language studies, public policy, information technology, statistics, or other relevant field. In lieu of a specific academic degree, relevant experience may be considered to meet this requirement. 10 points
• At least 5 years of professional work experience using Lao and English languages in any relevant field including international development, teaching/education, ICT in Education, digital learning, ICT in teacher education, professional translation and /or learning and information management systems preferably in Lao PDR. 25 points
• Excellent interpersonal communication and coordination skills including the ability to work under pressure. Consultant should be at ease liaising with a broad range of stakeholders from both high levels of government and across local communities in Laos. 25 points
• Fluency in written and spoken English. 10 points

B) Financial Proposal, 30 points

The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened /evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 50 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview.

Please find attached the TOR here:   Terms of Reference for Individual national consultant action plan - Advert..pdf

Financial Template to be filled by the consultant:   Financial Proposal Template-updated Oct 2024.doc

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.

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.