L’UNESCO recrute un expert de l’évaluation des apprentissages dans le cadre de l’éducation à distance, Dakar, Sénégal

Most of the world’s governments (192 countries) have temporarily closed educational institutions in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, some countries have begun to reopen schools, but as of May 10, 2020, approximately 72% of the total number of pupils and students enrolled are still outside the classroom.

Mitigation schemes put in place by Governments include facilitating the delivery of distance learning programmes through television and radio, encouraging the use of online courseware through forums such as webinars and podcasts, and subsidizing Internet connectivity rates so that more families, teachers and schools can afford connectivity. In addition, some teachers have put in place several distance learning mechanisms to ensure continuity of learning, including preparing take-home packages for students, creating online teaching and learning platforms in schools, and using social media platforms such as WhatsApp to share learning materials and tests.

In the context of prolonged school and distance education closures, considerations related to the management of examinations and assessments have been among the main concerns of many governments. Several coping strategies are being adopted in different regions, such as maintaining examinations with special provisions, or decisions to cancel, postpone, organize online, or implement other approaches to validation and certification. This is particularly the case for end-of-cycle examinations, which would allow the student to progress to the next level or to certify the degree of knowledge acquisition.

The Teaching and Learning Educators Network for Transformation (TALENT) has been active since 2016 in Sub-Saharan Africa, as a working group of the regional coordination of SDG 4 in West and Central Africa and as a regional platform for knowledge sharing and production on the quality of education. To date, the TALENT steering group is composed of ADEA-NALA, ANCEFA, CONFEMEN (and its PASEC programme), Education International, UNESCO (and its institutes), UNHCR and UNICEF.

TALENT operates in the field of teaching and learning to support effective learning in line with the needs of learners in sub-Saharan Africa. TALENT’s means of intervention are the exchange of experiences, expertise and knowledge, the production of research and capacity building in SSA countries.

In response to the current crisis, TALENT is generating knowledge on the response capacity of Member States and providing guidelines to ensure continued support to pupils even in times of school closure.

TALENT wishes to organize an online survey in sub-Saharan Africa to analyse the main measures taken by countries to carry out remote formative and summative evaluations in response to COVID-19, in order to ensure continuity of quality learning. The information collected will be used to formulate guidance to countries for better consideration of formative assessment and examinations in times of school closure.

TALENT envisages this publication to answer the following key questions : 

• What types of assessment are being conducted remotely by countries ?
• What is the recurrence of these remote assessments ?
• What areas and competencies are assessed ?
• How are assessment results disseminated ?
• How are assessment results used ?
• How are teachers trained in distance assessment of students ?
• What are the challenges expressed by the national director of learning assessment systems  ?
• What conclusions can be drawn in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to measure the achievement of the learning objectives of the SDG 4?

To do this, TALENT is looking for an experienced consultant with knowledge of African education systems and the pedagogical implications of distance assessment.

Tasks and responsibilities :

Under the general authority of the Regional Coordination Secretariat, and under the direct supervision of the TALENT Secretariat, the incumbent will work on two distinct areas of intervention :

Production of a mapping of evaluations implemented during the school closure period :

• Draft the questionnaire to be sent to countries on the basis of a draft questionnaire available Questionnaire to be produced should be available as a short (1-2 pages), easily understandable document with sections on how to implement formative and summative evaluations in times of class closures. The questionnaire will be used to collect information whose analysis will enable the development of a mapping of interventions implemented by member states in sub-Saharan Africa during school closures due to the COVID19 pandemic ;
• Review the data collected in the survey and make recommendations on how to supplement existing data sets with other readily available data sources ;
• Review Ministry of Education websites to gather additional information on learning assessments in progress during periods when classes are closed ;
• Produce a first draft of the short guide and share it with relevant stakeholders for comments ;
• Integrate the comments of all relevant stakeholders and submit the final version of the guide ;
• Production of the analytical study of the data collected from countries through the questionnaire; o Production of the analytical study of the data collected from countries through the questionnaire.

Development of guidelines for formative assessment in distance education :

• Produce draft guidelines for formative evaluation in distance education ;
• Incorporate the comments and contributions of the TALENT group experts into the final version of the document ;
• Submit a final version of the document.

Competencies (core / managerial) :

Required qualifications :

• Advanced university degree in education, development studies, economics, pedagogy or a related field ;
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in the analysis of education data in sub-Saharan Africa and/or another region (basic knowledge of the challenges of the education sector in sub-Saharan Africa is required) ;
• Proven record of publication of articles on education systems and learning assessments.

Desirable qualifications :

• Ability to work with quantitative and qualitative data, evaluate survey questionnaires and synthesize information ;
• Excellent writing skills ;
• Languages: Excellent knowledge of English or French. A good knowledge of the other language is required. Knowledge of Portuguese is an asset.

How to apply :

Selection and recruitment process :

Apply here