Track Progress in Foundational Learning Consultant (Remote) - Ref#577655

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope.

 

Consultancy Title: Track Progress in Foundational Learning Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Education Section, Programme Group, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 13 January 2025 to 31 December 2026

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / Remote

 

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

 

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

UNICEF seeks the services of a professional expert to produce reports, policy briefs and scorecards related to the monitoring of foundational learning progress under the RAPID framework, a framework adopted to fight against learning poverty and as a follow-up to the Transforming Education Summit. The RAPID framework encapsulates five key policy actions:

• Reach every child and keep them in school;
• Assess learning levels regularly;
• Prioritize teaching the fundamentals, as the building blocks of lifelong learning;
• Increase the efficiency of instruction including through catch-up learning; and
• Develop psychosocial health and wellbeing so every child is ready to learn.

 

Scope of Work:

The RAPID monitoring will be at both global and country levels in collaboration with HQ/regional teams plus selected country offices. The broad objectives of this consultancy are to:

1. Produce public goods regarding foundational learning results and interventions.
2. Raise awareness on progress, achievement and lessons learnt in terms of foundational learning policies.

Specifically, the consultant will:

1. Collect data on country RAPID response globally (e.g., country surveys and internal and external/publicly available data), including refinement of the RAPID monitoring survey tool.
2. Analyze, interpret, and visualize RAPID data collected through global reports on RAPID progress, country scorecards and deep dive reports on the RAPID framework components.
3. Support updates of analyses related to Foundational Learning tracking / accountability, including on Early Childhood Education and Equitable Financing, with a target on foundational learning:

 

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

• Foundational Learning Action Tracker (FLAT) deep dive for two countries (Rwanda and Egypt): Two country briefs (1 March 2025)           
• Update of the Equitable Financing Index 2025 with a focus on Foundational Learning: 2025 Equitable Financing Brief updated (15 May 2025)
• Write up and design of FLAT 2025 global report and country scorecards, based on RAPID 2025 survey data and additional data sources related to foundational learning: First Draft of RAPID global report and country scorecards      (1 August 2025)         
• Revise RAPID 2025 global report and country scorecards through consultations: Final Draft of RAPID global report and country scorecards design  (15 September 2025) 
• Develop FLAT 2025 regional snapshots: Two regional FLAT Snapshots (Africa and Asia-Pacific (30 October 2025)
• Support webinars and events on explaining, promoting, and using FLAT findings: At least three webinars hosted (20 November 2025)
• Advocacy and communication of Foundational Learning prepared: On thematic deep dive report in the field of Foundational Learning / RAPID Framework (30 December 2025) 
• Foundational Learning Action Tracker (FLAT) deep dive for two countries (TBC) : Two country briefs            (1 Feb 2026)   
• Update of the Equitable Financing Index 2025 with a focus on Foundational Learning: 2026 Equitable Financing Brief updated