Implementation of Pre-service Teacher Education Activities

Call for Proposal

Organizations/legal entities/local partners

Implementation of Pre-service Teacher Education Activities

UNESCO Myanmar Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG)

Date Issued: 24 January 2024

Organization: UNESCO Antenna Office in Yangon

Duty Station: Yangon, Myanmar

Type of Contract: Contract for Service (2-3 Organizations/Local Partners or Legal entities) (Form AM7-6)

Tentative Duration: February 2025 – December 2025 (11 months) Application Deadline: 9 February 2025 at 17:00 Hours (Yangon time)

Terms of Reference

I. Background:

Under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG), UNESCO is implementing activities towards the attainment of the undermentioned three outcome areas.

• Outcome 1: Ensuring safe and equitable access to learning for children and youth in Myanmar;
• Outcome 2: Ensuring quality teaching and learning for children and youth in Myanmar by strengthening the capacities of education staff and fostering context-responsive, equity-focused learning resources and modalities adapted to the evolving situation; and
• Outcome 3: Ensuring systems strengthening, management, coordination, and monitoring.

UNESCO, through the Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG) project, continues this effort addressing the needs for both pre-and in-service teacher education under ESPIG Outcome Area 2: Ensuring quality teaching and learning for children and youths in Myanmar by strengthening the capacities of education staff and fostering context-responsive, equity-focused learning resources and modalities adapted to the evolving situation. As an effort to deliver quality teacher education, UNESCO brings Myanmar Teacher Platform (MTP; www.mmteacherplatform.net) to offer continuous learning for educators, learners and other interested parties to access quality learning materials, videos and other resources in a safe and secure environment​ and provide online courses by themes.

UNESCO continues to support educators and teacher trainers are equipped with relevant competencies to provide continued and quality learning and necessary support to deliver education to children. UNESCO is developing a Rapid Pre-service Development (RPD) Action Plan and curriculum with modules for mobile teacher trainers, teacher educators, and teachers, in collaboration with local partners. Through this call for partnership, UNESCO aims to identify local partners specialized in pre-service teacher education. UNESCO will provide technical support to conduct quick needs assessment and gap analysis if needed and the identification of pre-service teachers. UNESCO will build on its experience supporting development of the Teacher Competency Standards Framework (TCSF) for Myanmar – as well as other existing, relevant frameworks – to review and prioritize training content.

The partners will work closely with UNESCO to contribute to the development of a Rapid Pre-service Development (RPD) Action Plan, contribute to the curriculum consultation meetings with key stakeholders and training modules development expert(s) as required, implement curriculum with modules and deliver capacity building trainings for mobile teacher trainers/teacher educators/teachers. Trainings will be delivered through a variety of modalities, including in-person, blended learning, webinars, and online courses. As such, UNESCO is inviting organizations, legal entities, or local partners including community-based, faith-based, and ethnic education providers to implement pre-service teacher education activities within Kachin, Kayah, Kayin and Shan States, but not limited to other States and Regions if needs are identified.

II. Objectives:

The objective of this ‘Call for Proposal’ is the invitation to organizations, legal entities, or local partners including community-based, faith-based, ethnic education providers to implement pre-service teacher education activities:

• Conduct quick needs assessment and develop Rapid Pre-service development (RPD) action plan;
• Contribute to the curriculum modules development (upon the requirement);
• Deliver capacity building trainings for mobile trainers/teacher educators/teachers; and
• Conduct case studies highlighting the impacts of the training.

III. Work Assignment:

Under the overall authority of the Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (hereinafter called UNESCO), the direct supervision of the Head of Office of UNESCO Antenna office in Yangon and in close collaboration with the ESPIG project team, the local partner/organization will i) conduct quick needs assessment and develop Rapid Pre-service Development (RPD) Action Plan, (ii) contribute to the curriculum modules development as required, (iii) deliver capacity building trainings for mobile trainers/teacher educators/teachers, (iv) conduct case studies on the impacts of the training.

In particular, the selected partner/organization shall perform the following tasks:

(i) Quick need assessment and RPD action plan

1. Identify a cohort of 200-500 teachers/educators to participate in the training program.
   1. Review and adapt the survey questions provided by UNESCO to align with the specific needs of the implementing organization and target participants.
   2. Develop a comprehensive work plan for the needs assessment, detailing the objectives, data collection process, and analytical approaches to be utilized.
   3. Conduct a survey with the identified participants to determine priority thematic content needs and evaluate the ICT materials or equipment required for teachers to actively and effectively participate in the training.
   4. Prepare a first draft of the needs assessment report (maximum 20 pages, excluding annexes) that outlines the findings, data analysis, and initial recommendations.
   5. Revise and finalize the needs assessment report by incorporating feedback received from UNESCO, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and actionable insights.
   6. Develop a structured RPD action plan that outlines objectives, priority activities, timelines, and responsible stakeholders. The framework should align with the findings of the needs assessment and address identified gaps.

(ii) Contribution to the curriculum modules developed by UNESCO (upon the requirement)

1. Review key documents such as the draft curriculum framework developed by UNESCO and Teacher Competency Standards Framework (TCSF) for Myanmar – as well as other existing, relevant frameworks – to review and prioritize training content.
   1. Contribute to the development of curriculum with modules which will be developed by UNESCO; and participate in the consultation meetings with key stakeholders, if required.
   2. Review and provide constructive feedback on the training modules to ensure they meet the needs and context of community organizations in Myanmar.
   3. Ensure the modules are culturally and contextually relevant, aligning with the specific challenges and priorities of the target community.

(iii) Implementation of capacity building trainings for mobile trainers/teacher educators/teachers

1. Recruit qualified trainer(s) with the required qualifications and teacher training experience if the organization does not have the necessary expertise to deliver the training program.
   1. Prepare a detailed agenda and training plan to implement the curriculum with modules, ensuring alignment with the technical support provided by UNESCO.
   2. Develop and submit comprehensive final training materials, including all resources such as PowerPoint presentations, facilitator guides, handouts, and any supplementary materials used during the training, ensuring they are aligned with the training modules and objectives.
   3. Organize, deliver, and facilitate training sessions for 200-500 mobile trainers, teacher educators, and teachers. These sessions may be conducted virtually, in person (if safe to do so), or through a hybrid approach. For in-person training, travel and DSA costs should be clearly outlined in the proposal to ensure comprehensive planning and budgeting.
   4. Ensure all participants complete the online modules related to the training courses available on the Myanmar Teacher Platform.
   5. Maintain regular communication with UNESCO to provide timely updates on the progress of the training sessions and address any issues or challenges encountered during implementation.
   6. Monitor the progress of the training sessions and pre-service teacher activities, evaluating outcomes against the set objectives. Identify challenges, document lessons learned, and recommend actionable solutions for continuous improvement.
   7. Prepare a final report (maximum A4 15-20 pages) in standard formal English. The report shall follow the undermentioned format (subject to change in consultation with the Contractor/Partner):
      • Executive summary
        • Introduction
        • Details of training and outcomes
        • Progress on activities implemented by the partner
        • Challenges, lessons learnt and solutions
        • Recommendations
        • Conclusion
        • Annexes (if relevant)

(iv) Case study to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program

1. Identify and select participants from the training program who represent diverse backgrounds and experiences.
   1. Develop an outline for the case study, including objectives, methodology, key themes, and intended outcomes, for review and approval by UNESCO.
   2. Develop and provide data collection tools (e.g., interview guides, survey questionnaires) tailored to gather qualitative and quantitative information from training participants, stakeholders, and educators.
   3. Produce a draft version of the case study report that highlights the impacts of the training on teacher capacity, teaching practices, and student outcomes.
   4. Include relevant visuals (e.g., photos, graphs, infographics) and supporting documents (e.g., testimonials, survey data) as annexes to enrich the narrative of the case study.
   5. Revise and submit the final case study report, incorporating feedback from UNESCO and other stakeholders.
   6. Ensure the report is concise (15-20 A4 pages) and written in clear, standard formal English, ready for publication or dissemination.

IV. Deliverables and Timeline:

All deliverables need to be submitted in English and/or Myanmar and in editable format (such as MS-Word, MS-PowerPoint and MS-Excel format, etc.). The assigned tasks must be submitted by the following deadlines.

1. A detailed teacher recruitment strategy along with a comprehensive list or database of recruited teachers, including their demographic and professional background information, in English (Word or Excel) on or before 15 March 2025;
2. Draft and final versions of the adapted survey questions tailored to the specific needs of the implementing organization, both in English and Myanmar (Word) on or before 15 March 2025;
3. A comprehensive work plan for the needs assessment, detailing objectives, the data collection process, etc., in English (Word) on or before 15 March 2025;
4. Draft and final versions of the needs assessment report, in English (Word) on or before 9 April 2025;
5. Structured and actionable Rapid Pre-service Teacher Development (RPD) action plan, in English (Word) on or before 21 April 2025;
6. Detailed notes or comment sheets on the curriculum modules developed by UNESCO, compiling feedback, suggestions, in English (Word or PPT or Excel) on or before 22 May 2025;
7. Detailed agenda and training plan tailored to needs assessment and RPD action plan, in English (Word or PPT or Excel) on or before 29 May 2025;
8. Final training materials and training activities, in English (and in Myanmar if required) (Word or PPT or Excel) on or before 10 July 2025;
9. Progress report and final report in standard formal English that outlines training content, achievement, challenges and recommendations for improvement for each session, based on the training plan, in English (Word) on or before 30 September 2025;
10. Detailed case study outline, including objectives, methodology, along with a finalized list of participants, in English (Word or Excel) on or before 15 October 2025;
11. Data collection tools, including interview guides/questions and survey questionnaires, to gather qualitative and quantitative data, both in English and Myanmar (Word) on or before 15 October 2025;
12. Draft and final versions of the case study report, presenting findings, analysis, impacts, and recommendations, in English (Word) on or before 10 December 2025.

In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the Contractor is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender analysis and mainstreaming concepts wherever feasible.

The work shall be completed by 10 December 2025.

V. Qualifications for Specialized Knowledge/Experience:

The Organization/Institution:

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in implementing education projects in Myanmar (Priorities are for those education service providers within Kachin, Kayah, Kayin and Shan States, but not limited to other States and Regions if needs are identified);
• Minimum of one project successfully implemented in the field of teacher education, which demonstrates experience in developing teacher training curriculum, learning materials and delivering modules effectively;
• Minimum of one professional with expertise in pre-service teacher education curriculum and training development and in-depth contextual understanding of Myanmar;
• Minimum of one qualified trainer with at least 3 years of experience in teacher training and a master’s degree in education or a relevant field.
• Ability to develop high quality content on tight deadlines and implement capacity training;
• Excellent project management, planning and organizational skills, including the ability to meet the deadline and manage resources effectively;
• Excellent communication skills and a concern for transparency and diligence; and
• Ability to develop high quality content on tight deadlines.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Previous experience working with international organizations, UNESCO and/or the UN system including World Bank Group is preferred;
• Previous experience working with other education service providers and organizations to implement teacher education projects will be an advantage.
• Previous experience working on pre-service teacher education and training in various sectors of Myanmar, particularly with EiE (Education in Emergencies), CSE (Conflict Sensitive Education), multi-grade teaching and assessment, and MTB-MLE, will be an advantage.

Lead Project Manager

Required Qualifications:

• At least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent at an accredited institution;
• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in project management/coordination of education project in Myanmar;
• At least 2 years of experience in education development, preferably in the area of teacher education;
• Excellent project management, planning and organizational skills, including the ability to meet the deadline and manage resources effectively; and
• Excellent communication skills and a concern for transparency and diligence.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Previous experience working with international organizations, UNESCO and/or the UN System including World Bank Group is preferred; and
• Previous experience leading pre-service teacher education projects will be an advantage.