International Consultant-Develop Baseline on the status of Mainstreaming Gender, ICT and Coding in National Curricula in Africa

Background

African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024) declare “an enabling environment for STI development on the African continent” is one of the pillars for achieving the vision for Agenda 2063. AU through STISA hopes to raise Africa’s role in global research, technology development and transfer, innovation and knowledge production

In this view, the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) was commissioned by UN Women and the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The African Union Commission (AUC) through the AU-Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (HHS), the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) and the Education, Science, Technology & Innovation (ESTI) provide technical support to this initiative which aims to train and empower a minimum of 2000 young girls aged between 17-25, across Africa to become computer programmers, creators and designers, placing them on track to take up studies and careers in the information, communication and technology (ICT), education and coding sectors. The initiative has two key strategies namely: coding camps and mainstreaming ICT, coding and gender into the national curricula. Moreover, it promotes the implementation of national media campaigns involving role models (e.g. women in ICT, women teachers in schools) and utilizes an on-line platform to enhance networking among the girls, trainers and mentors.

The first phase of the AGCCI that trained over 600 girl coders in 2018 was concluded in 2019. The second phase of the project was officially launched in April 2022, this phase of the project targets 11 African countries, namely: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

In the second phase, AGCCI will work closely with Ministries of Education in the mentioned countries across to mainstream ICT, gender and coding into the national curricula. This part of the Initiative is expected to allow millions of both urban and rural girls to learn IT skills from the early stages of their primary, middle and high school education. In this way ICT will be engrained in young girls and they will reap the benefit of the global digital boom. This will also promote that more young girls in the future will have the opportunity to seek an education and a career within ICT.

Mainstreaming ICT and coding into the national curriculum would equip young people with foundational skills, knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of computing. Providing them with future-ready skills they will need for the rest of their lives. Incorporating gender into the curriculum at the same time will ensure that girls in schools have equal access and opportunities to acquire these skills.

About the Consultancy

Against this background, through AGCCI, UN Women proposes to assess the status of Mainstreaming of Gender, ICT and Coding in National Curricula in the eleven countries to inform programming and intervention. Through desk research and interview with key personnel at each Ministry, the assessment will look into if and how the Member States are integrating gender ,ICT and coding in their national curricula.

In this view, UN Women solicits to engage an international consultant to develop a situation analysis and baseline on status of Mainstreaming Gender, ICT and Coding in National Curricula in the eleven AGCCI’s priority countries for the second phase of the project.

Duties and Responsibilities

Deliverable

Items Covered/Included

Time Frame

1

Inception Report

- Workplan with timelines

- Meeting schedule

- Details on Methodology to be followed, including sampling if any

- Bibliography of documents to be

reviewed

- People contacted and met (if any)

- Plan for Data Analysis

- Quality assurance and risk management strategies

1 week within signing the contract

2

Perform data analysis

- Qualitative data fully transcribed and

analyzed

- Submission of the brief update report

1 week

3

Comprehensive Initial Draft Baseline Study Report prepared, and PowerPoint Presentation made

- Findings, results, and recommendations, in a comprehensive report

2 weeks

4

Stakeholder Validation workshop

- Dissemination of findings through a stakeholders’ workshop and incorporation of inputs into the final report

1 week

5

Final baseline report, (and updated corresponding PowerPoint presentation) addressing input from validation workshop and other key stakeholders.

Report incorporating all stakeholders’
comments, fully formatted, edited and finalized to a professional printable standard.
The report should be a maximum of 30
pages in length, excluding annexes.
All finalized data collection instruments
The cleaned data files.

- All qualitative data transcripts (if necessary)

1 week

Competencies

Core Values:

Respect for Diversity
Integrity
Professionalism

Core Competencies:

Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
Accountability;
Creative Problem Solving;
Effective Communication;
Inclusive Collaboration;
Stakeholder Engagement;
Leading by Example.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Advanced degree in Education, Gender, Social Sciences Research, International Development and related fields;
An educational background in ICT is an added advantage

Experience

The consultant shall have at least 5 years of progressive experience in national, sub-regional and regional policy advocacy, research, capacity building and programming initiatives on Education, ICT and Gender.
Experience working with intergovernmental and/or regional organizations including the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU)

Language and Other Skills

Excellent knowledge of written and oral communication in English. Knowledge of any other AU language is an asset
Full command of Microsoft applications, particularly Word, and other relevant software.