Call for Applications: Senior Foundational Learning and Numeracy Consultant

Deadline for submission of applications (CV and Cover letter) is June 17th, 2022, at midnight (12:00 a.m.) GMT to the following address: adea-applications@afdb.org with copy to nootash.mahmood@acasus.com. The subject of the e-mail should be “Senior FLN Consultant”.

Contract Duration: One year renewable based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds

Duty Station: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire - with remote working possibility

The world and Africa have made important progress in increasing access to Basic Education as well as promoting gender parity. However, new data shows that 87% of all children in Sub-Saharan African countries are learning poor. One of the reasons leading to learning poverty is the lack of, or weak, foundational learning skills at early grades coupled often with low school attendance. The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of school closures have further exacerbated the learning poverty, specifically in education quality inputs such as inclusive support for continuous learning, provision of learning materials, especially to the vulnerable group of learners, assessments of learners etc. 

ADEA has been engaging African countries since March 2020 to appreciate the education policies and strategies in place to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and their level of effectiveness in ensuring that learning continues in a manner that is as inclusive as possible, within the many constraints, and the countries’ plans for future preparation of the education sector based on the COVID-19 experience. This engagement has highlighted some key working initiatives as well as issues pertinent to the education sector during the pandemic and in the future’s “new normal”.

In addition, ADEA is leading a Consortium of partners for the development and management of a KIX Observatory on COVID-19 responses in Africa’s educational systems, in terms of continuing the operation of education systems and learner wellbeing, beyond education, due to the negative consequences of the closure of learning institutions and the ‘start and stop’ type resumption of learning. The key areas of focus for the KIX Observatory are: 1) Tracking COVID-19 education related policy and practice responses in 41 Sub Saharan African countries; (2) Tracking emerging research and documenting relevant educational interventions being tested and evaluated; (3) Conducting case studies on selected set of educational system policies, practices and/or innovations; (4) Knowledge mobilization.

It is in this perspective that the ADEA Secretariat would like to recruit a Senior Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Consultant specialized in quality education in primary schools with a strong experience in policy, research and practice in foundational literacy and numeracy.

The primary goal for this position, is to strengthen ADEA’s capacity to collect, analyze and disseminate sound policies and evident practices that could be emulated to support improving Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) in primary schools. The second goal is to strengthen ADEA’s partnerships with other key actors, beyond African governments, involved in addressing learning poverty for early grade learners.

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Programs Officer, the Senior FLN Consultant will undertake the following:

• Review and consolidate ADEA’s ongoing activities in support of improving quality education in Primary Schools;
• Lead all ADEA’s interventions around foundational literacy and numeracy and more particularly research and analysis;
• Develop ADEA’s strategic objectives on foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) to align with global trends and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular and in close collaboration with the ICQN on Teaching and Learning, the ICQN on Literacy and National Languages and the Task Force on Education Management and Policy Support (TFEMPS);
• Conduct a mapping study on partner interventions around foundational literacy and numeracy in African countries;
• Develop and implement a coherent and consolidated FLN Strategy using a clustering approach with the concerned ICQNs and TFEMPS;
• Organise knowledge sharing events, including High-Level Policy Dialogue Forums on policies and practices in African countries and partners around FLN. More specifically, facilitate FLN stakeholder consultation meetings for the preparation of the ADEA 2022 Triennale and FLN sessions during the Triennale; 
• Lead the collaboration with financial and technical partners involved in quality education in primary schools and FLN in particular; and 
• Lead the preparation of work plans, progress reports and key performance indicators of ADEA’s interventions in FLN, and in improving quality education in primary schools.

Specific tasks related to the COVID-19 Observatory:

• Extract, analyse and synthesize the information related to quality education in primary schools to package and share the evidence with educational stakeholders, particularly governments and national education coalitions in Africa through webinars, online policy forums, and newsletters, among other platforms.
• Examine the promising practices, in terms of addressing quality education in primary schools, and share the findings through the proposed channels of communication.

• At least a master’s degree in education planning and management or related field;
• A minimum of 10 years’ relevant experience in the formulation of education policy and practices, as well as analysis, in Africa preferably in foundational literacy and numeracy.
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Strong background in FLN research, policy and advocacy; 
• Experience in working with African governments, regional, continental, and global development partners;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a team/task force as a member or team leader and with senior officials internally and externally;
• Excellent technical report writing skills;
• Strong organizational and analytical ability with attention to details;
• Ability to work independently and manage challenges, particularly in moments of pressure, and to deliver results under tight deadlines;
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English, with a strong working knowledge of French. Being fully bilingual (English and French) would be an added advantage; and
• Sound ICT culture and ability to use known statistical analysis software such as Excel, SPSS, and STATA.

Applications (CV and Cover letter) should be sent to adea-applications@afdb.org with copy to nootash.mahmood@acasus.com no later than June 17^th, 2022, at midnight (12:00 am) GMT. The subject of the e-mail should be “Senior FLN Consultant”.

Due to the high volume of applications, only selected candidates will be contacted through a formal correspondence via e-mail. Candidates are strongly advised not to contact ADEA or staff members to inquire about the status of their application.