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National Consultant | HireLiberia

UNESCO · apply by Nov 15, 2026

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About this role

Job Description National Consultant (Education) Type of contract : Consultant Contract Level : Level 2 - Middle Hiring Unit : Education Sector (ED) Duty Station : Liberia Work location : On site Duration of contract : 4 months Hiring open to : External candidates Application deadline (Midnight UTC±0 (UTC) Time) : 15/11/2026 UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism OVERVIEW The Government of Liberia recognizes Early Childhood Education (ECE) as a critical component of children's holistic development, supporting their cognitive, physical, language, social, and emotional growth while laying a strong foundation for school readiness, lifelong learning, and well-being. Quality ECE can also contribute to improved learning outcomes throughout the education cycle when supported by inclusive provision, effective teaching, and continuity of learning. Advertisement Liberia has made significant progress in expanding access to education following years of disruption caused by civil conflict, disease outbreaks, and other emergencies. However, the ECE sub-sector continues to face several challenges that affect both access and quality. These include disparities in access between urban and rural areas, inadequate learning facilities and teaching materials, insufficient numbers of trained ECE teachers, weak quality assurance mechanisms, limited financing, and inadequate coordination among institutions responsible for early childhood development and education services. Additionally, existing policy and regulatory frameworks require strengthening to respond to emerging priorities, ensure coherence across interventions, and provide clear guidance for stakeholders involved in the provision of ECE services. The Ministry of Education has identified the need to develop a comprehensive Early Childhood Education Policy that will provide a clear strategic framework for the growth and development of the sub-sector. The policy is expected to articulate a national vision for ECE, establish standards and quality benchmarks, clarify institutional roles and responsibilities, strengthen governance and accountability mechanisms, promote inclusion and equity, and guide investments and partnerships in support of quality early learning opportunities for all children in Liberia. The development of the policy is particularly important as Liberia continues to implement education sector reforms aimed at improving foundational learning. Evidence from national and international assessments highlights the importance of investing in early learning as a means of addressing learning deficits and improving educational outcomes at later stages. A dedicated ECE policy will therefore support the integration of early learning priorities into broader education sector planning and ensure that interventions are aligned with the needs of Liberian children and communities. Advertisement Long Description To support this process, UNESCO, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and other key stakeholders, seeks to engage a National Consultant to provide technical assistance in the development of the ECE Policy. The consultant will facilitate a participatory and evidence-based policy development process, including a review of existing legislation, policies, strategies, and research; stakeholder consultations at national and sub-national levels; analysis of challenges and opportunities within the ECE sub-sector; and preparation of policy drafts and validation materials. The consultancy will ensure that the policy development process reflects international good practices while remaining responsive to Liberia's unique social, economic, cultural, and educational context. The resulting ECE Policy and Implementation Framework will provide a roadmap for improving access, quality, equity, governance, financing, and monitoring of ECE services and will contribute to ensuring that every Liberian child has the opportunity to benefit from quality early learning experiences and succeed throughout their educational journey and beyond. Under the overall authority of the Director of UNESCO's Regional Office for West Africa in Dakar and in coordination with the UNESCO technical team, the consultant will provide technical assistance for the development of Liberia's national ECE Policy, aligned with the wider education policy. The consultant will work under the technical guidance of the Bureau of Early Childhood Education (BECE), Ministry of Education of Liberia, and support the preparation of an accompanying three-year implementation plan for 2027-2029. The consultant shall provide technical assistance in the following areas: Advertisement Inception phase: Preparing an inception report with a detailed, Liberia-contextualized work plan for developing the ECE Policy and its three-year implementation plan, specifying the methodology, activities, stakeholder-engagement approach, timelines, responsibilities, dependencies, and deliverables. Situation analysis: Participating in the conduct of a quantitative and qualitative situation analysis of ECE issues in Liberia and in the preparation of a situation analysis report; Policy document preparation and cost simulation: Policy framing and cost simulation: The consultant will contribute to the development of a framing document outlining the proposed policy orientations and contextualize the existing sector-wide simulation model to reflect Liberia's ECE context. The consultant will also develop cost projections and alternative implementation scenarios to inform a costed three-year implementation plan accompanying the ECE Policy. Drafting and revising an ECE policy and a three-year implementation plan for Liberia in relation to the overall education policy, based on the results of the situation analysis and stakeholder consultations. SCOPE OF WORK SCOPE OF WORK The consultant will work closely with UNESCO's technical team, the Ministry of Education, an

Original posting: UNjobnet

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