RTIA-W1 / CAM 1.1.3/ DEVELOPMENT OF BI-PLURILINGUAL TEACHING PROGRAMMES FOR STUDENT TEACHER_international consultant (M/W) Full Time

Mission description

INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT

1. SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

1.1 MAIN OBJECTIVES

The consultancy mission concerns pre-school and primary education. It will essentially contribute to the strategy’s objective of developing quality primary education to provide initial knowledge and skills for all. With this in mind, the SSEF plans to: (i) improve bi-plurilingual by creating and implementing specific curricula from pre-school onwards, (ii) strengthen the teaching of national languages, (iii) strengthen pedagogical supervision, as well as initial and in-service training for teachers, (iv) strengthen the use of ICT in teacher training, (IV) promote scientific and digital literacy.

One of the cross-cutting strategies of program 14 (steering and sector governance) is the coordination of teacher training, with MINESEC coordinating the training of primary school teachers and MINESUP coordinating the training of secondary school teachers, in order to align training content with the needs of the employing ministries and plan the numbers to be trained.

The main indicators of the SSEF and the National Development Strategy 2030 to which the present consultancy will contribute -directly or indirectly- are listed in the table below.

The main indicators of the SSEF and the National Development Strategy 2030 to which the present consultancy will contribute—directly or indirectly—are as follows:

• Indicator: Proportion of bi-plurilingual and multiculturalism teaching at primary level
  • Source: SSEF 2030 (p.115) & SND 2030 (p.185)
  • Target (2029–2030): 30%
  • Comments: The DPPC plans to integrate the information into the Ministry’s annual statistics sheet. The baseline is not provided; the target appears only in the SND 2030.
• Indicator: Number of teachers undergoing in-service training
  • Source: SSEF 2030 (p.118)
  • Target (2029–2030): 16,174 teachers
  • Comments: Not specified.
• Indicator: Proportion of bi-plurilingual teachers at primary and secondary level
  • Source: SSEF 2030 (p.121)
  • Target (2029–2030): 40%
  • Comments: Baseline not filled in.
• Indicator: Proportion of schools offering courses in codified local languages at primary and secondary level
  • Source: SSEF 2030 (p.121) & SND 2030 (p.185)
  • Target (2029–2030): 60%
  • Comments: Baseline not provided. Target only indicated in SND 2030.

The main objective of this mission is to recruit an international expert to support the Cameroon Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB) in developing bi-plurilingual education programmes for trainee teachers in order to improve the quality of learning and further professionalise the teaching profession. The expert will be specifically required to:

• Design bi-plurilingual and multilingual teaching programmes adapted to the Cameroonian context.
• Ensure that the programmes to be developed are aligned with the inclusive policy framework document for the introduction of bi-plurilingualism in the initial training programme for trainee teachers (entry and exit profiles for bi-plurilingual trainee teachers, reference framework for bi-plurilingual skills) and the National Languages and Cultures programmes for trainee teachers.
• Ensure consistency with international standards and national priorities in education.
• Take into account synergies with the actions of Technical and Financial Partners.

1.2 METHODOLOGY & GENERAL APPROACH

The technical assistance mission will be carried out by an international expert, remotely and with in-country mission.

The indicative methodology is as follows but not limited to – the consultant is expected to propose a more in-depth methodology in its application.

1. Preparation Phase

• Activity: Document review and planning
• Duration: 3 days
• Description:
  • Analyse des documents stratégiques nationaux et internationaux pertinents
  • Élaboration d’un plan de travail détaillé : calendrier des activités, livrables, réunions avec les parties prenantes

2. Inception Phase

• Activity: Inception meeting
• Duration: 1 day
• Description:
  • Réunion de lancement avec les principales parties prenantes
  • Définition des attentes, objectifs spécifiques et méthodologie
  • Validation du plan de travail

3. Information Gathering / Data Analysis Phase

• Activity: Preliminary consultations
• Duration: 5 days including (including 2 days in-country)
• Description:
  • Réalisation d’enquêtes et d’entretiens
  • Compilation et analyse des données recueillies

4. Programme Development Phase

• Activity: Development of teaching programmes for bi-plurilingualism and multilingualism (for trainee teachers)
• Duration: 13 days (including 6 days in-country)
• Description:
  • 6 jours pour l’élaboration d’une version préliminaire des programmes, fondée sur les analyses précédentes
  • Atelier technique de 2 jours avec un groupe restreint de spécialistes pour valider techniquement les programmes
  • Atelier de 1 jour avec environ 50 participants pour la validation officielle des programmes

5. Finalisation and Reporting Phase

• Activity: Revisions and final report
• Duration: 3 days
• Description:
  • Rédaction et soumission du rapport final détaillant :
    • Le processus d’élaboration des programmes
    • Les méthodologies utilisées
    • Les résultats obtenus
  • Intégration des amendements issus des phases de validation
  • Annexes incluant les transcriptions d’entretiens

Total Estimated Duration: 25 days

Work Distribution

• Remote Work: Literature review, planning, data analysis, and part of the programme development will be carried out remotely.
• Field Work: Initial consultations, surveys and interviews, and the validation workshop will require field trips to Yaoundé.

1.3 STAKEHOLDERS

Stakeholders to be involved at least in gathering information and developing deliverables:

• The Ministry of Basic Education, the General Inspectorate of Education (IGE), the Department of Planning, Projects and Cooperation (DPPC), the Department of Human Resources (DRH), the Department of pre-primary and Primary Education (DEMP), the Department of Financial and Material Resources (DRFM) and the Department of Literacy (DAEBNFPLN) ;
• The Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC), the General Inspectorate of Education and the Department of Teacher Training,
• Teacher training colleges for general education (ENIEG)
• The National Schools and Languages in Africa (ELAN) project team
• Technical and financial partners, in particular EUD, IFEF, AFD, Unesco

1.4 KEY DELIVERABLES

The specific deliverables under this consultancy are as follows:

1. Deliverable #1: scoping note
2. Deliverable #2: Draft of the bi-plurilingual teaching programmes
3. Deliverable #3: PPT of the validation workshop
4. Deliverable #4 : Final version of the bi-plurilingual teaching programmes
5. Deliverable #5: final report

Deliverables must be submitted in electronic format and validated by the Minedub focal point and the Facility within a maximum of 2 weeks after transmission. The consultant must ensure that the documents are clear, concise and meet the defined requirements.

The expert will also be expected to contribute to the collection of data required for monitoring the action plan, as part of the monitoring, evaluation, and quality assurance activities.

2. IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES

2.1 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB)

The Ministry, through its focal point, will be responsible to:

• Provide documentation
• Facilitate meetings with relevant stakeholders
• Organize and fund the pre-validation (technical validation) (2jrs)
• Comment on and approve deliverables
• Organize and fund the validation workshop (1jr) 50 participants
• Share deliverables with key stakeholders

The RTIA Facility

The Facility will be responsible for:

• Provide documentation
• Facilitate meetings with relevant stakeholders
• Organize and fund the pre-validation (technical validation) (2jrs)
• Comment on and approve deliverables
• Organize and fund the validation workshop (1jr) 50 participants
• Share deliverables with key stakeholders

The Consultant

The consultant will:

• Review and comment on the Terms of Reference (ToR)
• Ensure that all deliverables comply with the guidelines formulated at the mission scoping meeting, in accordance with the agreed timetable.
• Immediately inform the Regional Teachers’ Facility of any difficulties in implementing the mission
• Lead the start-up phase, including document review and scoping meeting
• Draft the minutes of the tripartite meetings between the Ministry, the Facility and the Expert (scoping meeting, etc.).
• Participate in debriefing meetings and regular updates at the initiative of the Ministry or the Facility.
• Ensure that stakeholders are consulted throughout the assignment
• Meet the requirements of monitoring-evaluation and quality assurance with regard to the collection of data relating to the methodology and deliverables produced (attendance list, feedback from the expert, feedback from participants in the work, including the Ministry’s technical team)
• Behave with the highest level of personal integrity and commitment to the required standards of conduct

Project or context description

3. PRESENTATION OF THE FACILITY

The Regional Teachers’ Initiative in Africa (RTIA), a program funded by the EU/EC through the Education section (G3) of DG INTPA, aims to improve learning outcomes and the socio-emotional development of children in Africa by having a more competent, motivated, and inclusive teaching staff in basic education. The RTIA will particularly seek to achieve the following results over the next 6 years:

1. Improve the governance, management, attractiveness, and gender balance of the teaching profession, with a strong focus on increased digitization and innovation.

2. Improve the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of initial and continuous professional development of teachers, notably through digital education, peer learning approaches, and regional collaboration.

As part of the RTIA, the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa (RTIA) – Facility will support teacher policy and improve teacher training and professional development systems by i) providing capacity building at the national level through technical assistance, ii) promoting innovation and scaling up effective pedagogical solutions; iii) increasing the production and use of data and evidence, and iv) promoting the use of regional frameworks, evidence-based practices, and joint learning at the regional level. The Regional Facility for Teachers in Africa (RFTA) will achieve the aforementioned objectives through 3 types of instruments or “windows”: i) a window to provide technical assistance on teacher governance and teacher training and professional development based on the demand of eligible partner countries, ii) a window to test and scale up effective teacher training and professional development programs in the thematic areas of digital skills, gender, green skills, and pedagogical skills, including in the context of refugees and displaced populations, iii) a research window to create new evidence and support the integration of evidence into policy decision-making and the design of teacher training and professional development programs.

In addition to these windows, the Facility’s knowledge management and communication activities will further contribute to the sharing of knowledge, evidence, and best practices related to the overall outcomes of the Initiative.

The Facility is funded by the European Union and co-implemented by the Partnership formed by three member state agencies: Expertise France for France, Enabel, VVOB, and APEFE for Belgium, EDUFI for Finland. Expertise France has been designated as the Coordinating Agency of this Partnership. With the Facility’s governance scheme serving as the Initiative’s governance scheme, it is planned that the Partnership will work closely with UNESCO and the African Union Commission (AUC), in charge of the other 2 components of the European Union (EU) Initiative.

The duration of the action is planned from 01.02.2024 to 31.01.2027 (36 months) with a budget of EUR 46,000,000.

4. CONTEXT

4.1 EDUCATION SECTOR IN CAMEROON

RESEN (2019) and PASEC (2019): cross-analysis of the results of RESEN, PASEC and a national evaluation carried out in 2016 by the Ministry of Basic Education’s Learning outcome Evaluation Unit (Minedub) shows that the quality of learning is a challenge in Cameroon, with persistent low levels of learning achievement at primary level. For example, at the end of the primary cycle, 46.7% of sixth grate pupils are below the language proficiency threshold. The quality factors identified in the multivariate analyses of prior learning assessments provide a number of practical lessons that point to the need to improve teaching practices and the inadequacy of in-service teacher training.

Articulated with Sustainable Development Goal 4 and Agenda 2063 of the African Union (AU), the strategic orientations adopted by the Cameroonian authorities in the education sector are mainly recalled in three key documents:

· The SSEF 2023-2030 has established a strategic axis “Relevance and Quality of Training”. The vision is of: (a) an education system with a professional teaching/training staff, trained for the profession and capable of addressing development priorities in training programs in line with international standards, which implies “teachers/trainers adapted to socio-economic realities and the learning context” and “continuous training of teachers/trainers”, (b) an education system promoting the values of living together and contributing to the strengthening of economic and cultural patriotism through “increased practice of bi-plurilingualism and promotion of multiculturalism in all layers of society through the creation and implementation of specific school programs from preschool”. The action plan of Cameroon within the framework of the Facility thus contributes to operationalizing the vision developed in the Education and Training Sector Strategy.

· The National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (SND30). The SND30 articulates the country’s internal and international commitments on economic, social, and environmental levels. It builds on lessons learned from the implementation of the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (DSCE). One of the four pillars of the SND30 concerns the education sector with the pillar “Human Capital Development and Well-being”. Thus, in the education and training sector, the country envisions “promoting an educational system where every young graduate is sociologically integrated, bilingual, competent in a key area for the country’s development, and aware of what they need to do to contribute to it”.

· Law No. 98/004 of April 4, 1998, on the orientation of education in Cameroon. This law sets the general legal framework for education in Cameroon and applies to preschool, primary, general and technical secondary education, as well as normal education.

Partnership Pact

Cameroon will soon benefit from funds from the Global Partnership for Education. The priority reform identified by Cameroon in the Partnership Pact concerns improving the quality of learning through the professionalization of the teaching profession. This reform aims, among other things, to contribute to transforming the educational system through professional, motivated, and performing teachers for equitable, inclusive, and quality learning.

Reform of ENIEG

In Cameroon, the initial training of basic education teachers is managed by the Ministry of Secondary Education (Minesec). In 2023, Decree No. 2023/434 of October 4, 2023, on the organization and functioning of Normal Schools for Teachers repealed the previous provisions contained in Decree No. 80/195 of June 9, 1980. Future teachers must now hold a baccalaureate and undergo two years of training at the Normal School for General Education Teachers (ENIEG). The Ministry of Basic Education (Minedub) has officially requested Minesec to update the training curricula, particularly the introduction of didactics of bi-plurilingualism and national languages. Additionally, national authorities initiated a reform of ENIEG in 2023. The action on initial teacher training is part of this reform. Minedub has submitted a request to Minesec to update the training curricula for student teachers in ENIEG.

Digitalization

In 2007, Minedub published the first policy and strategy document on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for education after a comprehensive stakeholder engagement. An update of this document, titled “ICT Policy and Strategic Framework for Basic Education in Cameroon”, was completed in 2022 following lessons learned from Covid-19. The objective of this ICT policy and implementation framework is to ensure that ICT is effectively integrated into the basic education sub-sector to achieve the goals defined in the SSEF.

Decentralization

In terms of local governance, the first competencies were transferred to municipalities by the central state in 2010. In accordance with the principle of progressivity, in 2018, 63 competencies were transferred by 21 ministries.

In practice, all decrees related to decentralization have been published. While decentralization has made progress in basic education with the involvement of local authorities in managing schools (construction and rehabilitation of primary and preschool schools, management of the minimum package, etc.), this involvement remains dependent on the implementation of decentralization at the national level.

4.2 CONTEXT OF THE PAP – LINKAGE WITH PREVIOUS WORK

On June 6, 2024, the Facility of the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa (RTIA) received a request for technical assistance from the Directorate of Planning, Projects, and Cooperation (DPPC) of the Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB) of Cameroon. This request was formally approved on August 26, 2024. A team of experts from the Facility then visited Yaoundé from October 14 to 17, 2024. As part of the preparatory work for this mission and the discussions that continued afterward, consultations and collaborative work with key teams and partners in the education sector in Cameroon led to the design of a country action plan (PAP) tailored to meet the needs expressed in the initial request. This plan is structured around four main technical areas: (1) initial training of preschool and primary school teachers, (2) continuous teacher training, (3) teachers’ digital skills, and (4) teacher governance.

The Cameroon PAP, lasting 16 months, includes technical assistance actions aligned with national priorities concerning teachers. It must (i) address the real needs of the partner, (ii) be coordinated with the interventions of technical and financial partners to allow for synergy and avoid overlaps, and (iii) fit into ongoing reforms.

To date, only the package of activities covering Action 1.1 ‘Integrating inclusive approaches to the pedagogy and didactics of bi-plurilingualism (multilingual teaching) into the initial training of pre-school and primary school teachers – in both sub-systems’ is being implemented. Activity 1.1.1 ‘Drawing up an inclusive framework document for the introduction of bi-plurilingualism in the initial training programme for student teachers (entry and exit profile of the bi-plurilingual student teacher, bi-plurilingualism competency framework)’ is nearing completion.

Required profile

5. PROFILE OF THE NATIONAL EXPERT

Academic qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in education, applied linguistics, language teaching or a related field.

General professional experience

• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the field of education, with proven expertise in teaching, pre-primary, primary, and teacher training

Specific professional experience

• Work experience in similar contexts in Africa, preferably in Cameroon.
• Experience in developing bi-plurilingual education programmes.
• Knowledge of education policies in Africa and international standards in education.

Language skills

• Excellent command of French and English

Interpersonal and general skills

• Communication: excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Teamwork: Ability to work as part of a team and collaborate with diverse stakeholders
• Skills in capacity building and adult education/training
• The highest levels of personal integrity and commitment to adhering to required standards of conduct

Assets

• Experience working with IFADEM or ELAN
• Experience in developing pre-primary education programme
• Knowledge of gender equality and relevant policy frameworks, including legislation on equal opportunities for men and women
• Solid knowledge of sectoral education policies in Cameroon, including the national policy on inclusive education

Other assets: hold a level 1 field safety training (FST1) certificate issued within the last two years

Who can apply as an international expert?

According to the Facility’s definition, an international expert responds to an open call for expertise on the international market, competing with experts from all over the world. An international expert is often, but not always, of a nationality other than that of the country in which the consultancy is deployed. An international consultant generally has skills that are rare on the national market and experience in different countries, which enables him to offer a comparative analysis of the areas of expertise concerned by the consultancy and a methodology that can be adapted to the national context.