Grades 2-3 Literacy Curriculum Development and Review (Yemen) Consultant

Grades 2-3 Literacy Curriculum Development and Review(Yemen) Consultant

Period of Performance: September 15, 2022- January 31, 2023

Level of Effort: 50 workdays

Location: Remote or Aden, Yemen

Technical leads: Gateway Chief of Party, SCI Yemen PDQ Education Technical Advisor and SCUS Sr. Director, USG Project Management

Background

The USAID-funded Yemen Gateway to Education (Gateway) project, implemented by Save the Children in partnership with Creative Associates International, aims to ensure safe and equitable access to quality education through the formal school system for Yemeni boys and girls, in both host and internally displaced persons (IDP) communities, and for those students with special needs. The project focuses on supporting the Yemen Ministry of Education (MoE) to strengthen education actors with ongoing trainings and follow up, providing materials to support literacy, numeracy, and active learning, while reducing conflict-induced trauma through the integration of social and emotional learning (SEL), as well as restoring school routines to increase normalcy, trust, and enrollment, and expanding inclusive approaches that empower all girls and boys to complete their education. Gateway is implemented in 400 formal schools in the Aden, Al-Dhale’a and Lahj Governorates of Yemen.

Under Gateway IR 2.2 Teaching and learning materials developed, printed, and distributed, Gateway is developing Grades 1-3 Literacy and Numeracy materials in coordination with the MoE and USAID. By the end of January 2023, Gateway aims to have fully developed the Literacy materials, and to have obtained Yemen MoE approval, and lastly, USAID approval to proceed with printing of the curriculum. The curriculum will then be distributed to schools before the beginning of the school year in August 2023.

As of August 2022, the Grade 1 Literacy curriculum is in the final stages of development and the Gateway project is now developing the Grades 2-3 Literacy curriculum.

Justification

In an effort to ensure the developed Grades 1, 2 and 3 Literacy curriculum (led by Creative Associates International in coordination with the MoE) meets Save’s the Children’s robust standards for curriculum development and printing, Save the Children will engage a consultant who will work with the Save Children Yemen Program Development & Quality (PDQ) team to support the development and review of the Grades 1, 2 and 3 literacy curriculum, which include I) textbooks for children, II) teacher’s guidance and III) manual for teachers’ training. The consultant will engage with the Gateway, SCI Yemen PDQ and MoE teams throughout the curriculum development and review process to ensure the curriculum is aligned with MoE policies and standards, USAID requirements and Save the Children best practices and quality assurance policies and procedures.

Objective:

1. To ensure the high quality development and finalization of the Grades 1 and 2 Literacy curriculum.
2. To ensure the high quality development from scratch and finalization of Grade 3 Literacy curriculum
3. To ensure that the developed curriculum meets MoE, Save the Children and USAID standards and requirements.

Key Activities

The consultant is expected to undertake the following activities:

• Review and fully understand Save the Children International and Save the Children Yemen curriculum development requirements.
• From beginning to finalization, work with the Gateway IR 2 team (led by Creative Associates) and SCI PDQ team on the finalization of Grade 1 Literacy curriculum, the development and finalization of the Grades 2 Literacy curriculum and development from scratch and finalization of Grade 3 Literacy curriculum materials in alignment with the approved project work plan.
• Provide overall quality control and technical assistance for review of the Grades 1-3 Literacy materials.
• Regularly update the Chief of Party (COP) and SCUS on progress of the curriculum materials.
• Participate in weekly coordination meetings with the Gateway team and SCI Yemen PDQ team.
• Participate in bi-weekly meetings with the MoE together with the Gateway and SCI Yemen PDQ team to facilitate and provide support for smooth implementation.
• Proofread drafts to ensure that they are of a high standard and ready to be shared with Save the Children, the MoE and USAID.

Assignment Design and Methodology

The consultant is expected to initiate this assignment by conducting a literature review of Save the Children’s policies and procedures for curriculum development. He/she will then have orientation sessions with the Save the Children Yemen PDQ team and Gateway team to understand the context of Gateway’s curriculum development activities. The consultant should be able to state the methodology that he/she will use to technically review the curriculum materials.

In terms of work arrangements, the consultant will be based in Aden, Yemen depending on his or her visa status for Yemen or in his or her home country. In the case of the latter, the consultant will establish regular calls, ideally every two days, with the Gateway curriculum development team. Additionally, the consultant will be expected to have the flexibility to travel to Yemen for consultations with the Ministry of Education as may be required from time to time.

Specific Deliverables

• In coordination with the SCI PDQ team, sharing of the finalized Grades 1, 2 and 3 Literacy curriculum materials with the COP and SCUS.
• Report on the successes and challenges of Gateway’s Grades 2-3 Literacy curriculum development and review process.
• Compile successes and challenges.
• Facilitate a learning workshop after finalizing Grade 1 and 2 literacy materials (the output of which will inform the development of the Grade 3 literacy curriculum)

Roles of Save the Children:

Save the Children will provide applicable SCI curriculum development policy documents and Gateway project documents to the consultant in support of the stated objectives. Gateway project leadership and the PDQ team will help to facilitate internal and external meetings in support of the stated objectives. Save the Children will provide regular feedback to the consultant in order to address any performance related constraints in a timely manner. The consultancy will be supervised by the Gateway Chief of Party, SCI Yemen PDQ Education Technical Advisor and SCUS Sr. Director, USG Project Management.

Responsibility of the Consultant

• Engage with the Gateway and SCI Yemen PDQ teams, in coordination with the MoE, on the Grades 1-3 Literacy curriculum materials through USAID approval.
• Discuss any gaps in the curriculum development and review process with the Gateway and PDQ team and come up with ways of addressing the gaps if any

Requirement for Position

• Fluency in Arabic and English
• Minimum of ten (10) years professional experience in Literacy curriculum development, international education and/or international development
• Experience working with Ministries of Education especially in the areas of curriculum development and education policies
• Experience in developing early grade reading literacy curriculum preferred
• Experience in facilitation of large- and small-scale groups
• Strong analytical, written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of Yemen or Middle East context preferred
• Previous experienced with USAID projects strongly preferred