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For every child, the right to Education!

Background and Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF Kazakhstan is looking for a consultant to build the capacity of the Ministry of Education in Kazakhstan and the National Education Academy in climate change education curriculum improvement and roll out in Kazakhstan. This consultancy aims to support the review and improvement of the national education standards, primary and secondary school curriculum integrating climate change adaptation topics, in close dialogue with the Ministry of Education and the National Education Academy for advancing climate smart education and schools’ resilience.

Kazakhstan, the largest landlocked country in the world, is situated in Central Asia and borders Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It has a diverse landscape that includes vast steppes, deserts, mountains, and lakes. Kazakhstan faces significant environmental challenges, including desertification, water scarcity, and pollution. The country is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as extreme weather events, which can exacerbate these issues.

Kazakhstan has committed to several international climate agreements, including the Paris Agreement. At COP29, Kazakhstan committed to tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, along with other nations. The country signed a memorandum of understanding on regenerative agriculture and expressed a commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 through a strategy approved by the President. Furthermore, Kazakhstan showcases its initiatives and achievements in green technologies, renewable energy, and climate adaptation.

Education systems themselves need to be resilient and climate SMART so they can continue to function, better cope with and swiftly recover from disruption caused by climate and environmental hazards and shocks. Climate change mitigation and adaptation and environmental considerations, in short, need to be applied to and become comprehensively embedded throughout entire education systems. Critical aspects in this regard are: policies and planning; finance; school physical infrastructure; coordination and partnership; data and evidence gathering, monitoring and evaluation.

UNICEF Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources partner on climate change adaptation curriculum review. A workplan was established between UNICEF and the National Education Academy for 2025-2026 with the focus on reviewing school subjects, development of teachers guides, informed by the international practices and regional experience. The primary focus will be on reviewing Science (G1-6) and Geography (G 7-9) subjects will be made. However, key recommendations will be developed to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation into all subjects of primary and secondary education.
This consultancy is to provide technical support to the established technical working group under the National Education Academy in guiding and quality assuring the curriculum and standards review and integration process, design of teachers guides and linking curriculum to project-based activities on the ground taking into account regional context with the climate change adaptation.
International best approach to climate change education will be contextualized in Kazakhstan’s school curriculum and educational standards.

2. Scope of work:

UNICEF Kazakhstan aims at the integration of climate change adaptation and environmental issues into the education system. The purpose of the consultancy is to build the capacity of local experts in climate change education curriculum improvement and roll out in Kazakhstan. This consultancy aims to guide the national team of experts in curriculum and education standards review and improvement, and the development of the teachers guides for implementation nationwide. More specifically the consultant will guide the national technical working group in the State Educational Standards and curriculum review and integration of the Climate Change and Environmental topics into Primary and Lower Secondary Education Curricula with quality assurance of the reports and resource packages produced for teachers.

The consultant will work in close contact with the established technical working group under the National Education Academy and the regional consultant on climate change education in Central Asia. He/she will work closely with UNICEF team and under the supervision of designated UNICEF staff.

The scope of this international consultancy is as follows:

- Review the State Educational Standards and integrate the Climate Change (CCE) and Environmental topics into Primary and Lower Secondary Education Curricula.
- Support the National working group in conducting an analysis of the State Educational Standards and Curriculum for compliance with modern competencies, knowledge and skills on mitigation and adaptation to climate change and environmental protection. The topics on climate change and environment protection and CCE Curriculum Review Framework and Steps are included in the Annex 1 and 2;
- Develop the training agenda, materials and co-deliver the training of methodologists in education departments on the analysis of the State Educational Standards and integration into curricula;
- Support the National working group in integration of climate change and environmental issues into the curriculum of primary and basic secondary education in the subjects: "Natural Science" grades 1-6 and "Geography" grades 5-9
- Guide the development and quality assure resources for teachers, including the introduction of practical country cases on climate change and environmental protection in the subjects: "Natural Science" grades 1-6 and "Geography" grades 7-9, as well as on assessing the skills of students
- Prepare key recommendations to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation into all subjects of primary and secondary education
- Prepare the curriculum analysis and integration analytical report with the findings of the combined processes and the practical cases for schools (activities).
- Participate in the final conference for the exchange of experience and the results of the integration of climate change and environmental issues into the education system.
- Prepare final report on the consultancy with the key recommendations to follow up.

The proposed methodology for the assignment:

Consultations with the National working group: the international consultant will work with the established National working group on a regular basis by organizing on-line and off-line consultations. Each consultation will have its agenda and outcomes. The following content and schedule of consultations are proposed:

August 2025 – to get an update on the progress with the component 1 (activities 1-6) of the consultancy and agree on co-working modalities and deadlines; check on the progress made by the national team of experts in standards and curriculum review

September 2025 – to review the draft results of the standards and curriculum review and agree on drafting the curriculum review analysis report

October 2025 – to prepare for the training of methodologists in education departments on the analysis of the State Educational Standards and integration into curricula, guide the development and quality assure resources for teachers

November 2025 – to deliver the training of methodologists in education departments on the analysis of the State Educational Standards and integration into curricula

December 2025 – to quality assure the development and quality assure resources for teachers, draft the integration analytical report with the findings of the combined processes and the practical cases for schools (activities)

February 2026 – to finalise the resources for teachers, the integration analytical report with the findings of the combined processes and the practical cases for schools (activities)

March 2026 – to present the final report on the consultancy with the key recommendations to follow up

Curriculum review framework and focus: Please refer to the Annex 1 and 2 on the topics and steps.

Content of the curriculum analysis and integration analytical report: Please refer to the Annex 2 for structure of the report.

Training content for the training of methodologists – the course will be for methodologists from selected regions of Kazakhstan to listen to their ideas in review of education standards and curriculum, receive feedback to the proposals generated by the national team of trainers, discuss the content of the teachers guides and develop specific lessons, monitoring and evaluation tools (checklists or surveys). Methodologists in the regions are responsible for guiding the teachers on delivery of curriculum and education standards, integrating new concepts and approaches, but also provide methodological support to schools in monitoring the quality of delivery.

Guides for teachers will include the following content: Key concepts, what is included into the school curriculum, how to deliver the topics in the classroom, review of the lessons outline and content, recommendations on developing lesson’s plan, how to assess the effectiveness of the topics delivered (knowledge check of teacher and students), e-version of materials (lesson plans), checklists for teachers, references.

The final consultancy report will include the documented experience with the education standards and curriculum review and integration of climate change adaptation and environment issues in education, summary of post-training assessment of methodologists, lessons learnt, way forward in implementation ad scale up.

The education standards and curriculum will consist of the following documents and not limited to:
The State Compulsory Standard of Education defines the fundamental requirements for the content and learning outcomes of education. More specifically these are the State Compulsory Standard of Primary Education and the State Compulsory Standard of Basic Secondary Education.
The Subject Programmes specify the scope and depth of knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies to be developed through organized educational activities. More specifically these are the Standard curriculum for the subject "Natural Science" for grades 1-4 of primary education, Standard curriculum for the subject "Natural Science" for grades 5-6 of basic secondary education, the Standard curriculum for the subject "Geography" for grades 7-9 of basic secondary education, Standard curriculum for the subject "Global Competencies" for grades 5-9 of the basic secondary education level.

The Standard Course Plan outlines the list, volume, and duration of organized educational activities by age groups on a weekly basis.

Duty Station
A maximum of two in-country missions can be planned to Kazakhstan (subject to approval by UNICEF). All expenses related to traveling to Kazakhstan will be covered by UNICEF. The development of materials and analytical reports will be home-based.

Main deliverables:

The consultancy will have the following deliverables:

Review the State Educational Standards and integrate the Climate Change (CCE) and Environmental topics into Primary and Lower Secondary Education Curricula

- At least 7 consultations are conducted in support the National working group in conducting an analysis of the State Educational Standards and Curriculum for compliance with modern competencies, knowledge and skills on mitigation and adaptation to climate change and environmental protection.
- Guidance (recommendations) and feedback are provided to the draft report on education standards and curriculum review report prepared by the National team of experts ((curriculum of primary and basic secondary education in the subjects: "Natural Science" grades 1-6 and "Geography" grades 5-9)
- Guidance (recommendations) and feedback are provided to the draft integration analytical report with the findings of the combined processes and the practical cases for schools (activities).
- The 2 days training of methodologists in education departments is prepared and co-delivered on the analysis of the State Educational Standards and integration into curricula (agenda and handouts).
- Guidance (recommendations) and feedback are provided to the development and quality assure resources for teachers, including the introduction of practical country cases on climate change and environmental protection in the subjects: "Natural Science" grades 1-6 and "Geography" grades 7-9, as well as on assessing the skills of students
- Key recommendations are provided to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation into all subjects of primary and secondary education
- Presentation is prepared and delivered at the final conference for the exchange of experience and the results of the integration of climate change and environmental issues into the education system.
- Final report on the consultancy with the key recommendations to follow up.

Coordination and logistics:
All the deliverables will be implemented under the supervision of UNICEF Kazakhstan Education Specialist and UNICEF Supply Officer, in close collaboration with UNICEF Deputy Representative, other relevant program staff. The consultant will work in close contact with national counterparts of the Education sector.

Timeframe (tentative)
The envisioned duration of the consultancy is for 8 months from August 2025 to March 2026. The actual duration of the assignment and schedule of activities will be agreed upon with the selected consultant based on the proposed implementation plan. The total number of working days is 44 days, within 8 months period between August 2025 and March 2026.

Sensitivity and ethical considerations

All UNICEF-led or associated research and implementation activities are required to adhere to ethical principles and standards. These standards provide clear information on engaging children as research subjects and further reporting on them. Interviews and conversations with children must comply with ethical guidelines on interviewing children.

This project is of high-sensitivity nature as it concerns children with special education needs, their families and are trying to mainstream them into education.

Given the above, the design and implementation of the research components should consider ethical safeguards, including protection of privacy, confidentiality, dignity, rights and welfare of human subjects particularly children and their families, and respect of the values of the local community.

In addition, the following procedures are an important guide in ensuring high quality of studies and research: UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis and Procedures for Quality Assurance in Research

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete attach TOR here TOR climate change education сurriculum international

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

Education: Advanced university degree in science, engineering, health, pedagogy, social work. Work Experience: Expertise /experience in the development of pedagogy methodology and materials in primary and secondary education. Work experience in climate change education, curriculum development Experience in conducting reviews, provision of feedback, development of training materials and teachers guides Experience in delivery of training sessions to key experts in education and environment protection (climate change adaptation) Work experience and/or technical knowledge of child rights, environment protection, education issues in the Europe and Central Asia region is an asset. Record of research experience and/or written publications at the regional and international levels Excellent analytical and writing skills demonstrated with samples of publications. Language Requirements: Fluency in English, knowledge of Russian is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

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