UNCEF seeks to recruit aConsultancy of Cost-Benefit Analysis for Pre-Primary Education, Education Section, PD – NYHQ, Requisition #515535

 

Description

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.

 

Background & Rationale Overview

With the advent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, there is a renewed momentum for early childhood development and early learning globally.  The inclusion of pre-primary education as one of the key indicators under target 4.2 marks a pivotal moment to spur national and global efforts to increase funding, and political will and commitment to expand equitable access to pre-primary programs.

Despite recent progress in access to pre-primary education globally, more than 50% of preschool age children are missing out on pre-primary opportunities and in low income countries, only 2 in 10 children are enrolled in early education.  A critical barrier to universal access to pre-primary education under SDG 4.2. is the lack of political will to prioritize the pre-primary sub-sector.  Indeed, investment in pre-primary education is grossly inadequate, with low-income countries spending only about 2.9 per cent of their education budgets on pre-primary education.

There is an urgent need to boost pre-primary investment and enrolment and to garner the necessary political will and commitment to pre-primary education, particularly in low- and lower-middle income countries.  One critical pathway to achieving this change is through strengthening the advocacy tools and evidence base around the economic benefits of investing in early learning.

 

Purpose of the consultancy

The key question in any investment decision is how much benefit will be reaped in the future in return for spending today.  The purpose of this consultancy is to help answer this question, focusing on the economic benefits of investing in pre-primary education.

 

Key Tasks of the Consultant/Expected Results

There has been research and analysis showing that interventions in early years of childhood have the large benefit-to-cost ratios.  For example, Engle et.al. (2011) showed that the benefit-to-cost ratio in pre-primary education could be as high as 17:1, and raising preschool enrolment to reach 50 percent of age-eligible children in low and middle income countries could result in cumulative lifetime earnings gains of US15 – 34 billion dollars.

The key tasks of the consultancy are to (a) review existing methodologies for cost-benefits analysis of pre-primary education to update global benefit-to-cost ratio of pre-primary education, (b) estimate global or regional benefit-to-cost ratio especially among low- and lower middle income countries using the most recent data based on the most adequate method identified by the literature review, and c) conduct an in-depth case study on Indonesia using the most adequate method and recent data available in the country.  The results of these tasks are expected to strengthen the investment case for pre-primary education, and ultimately contribute to advocacy tools and efforts to increase political will and commitment to early learning at global, regional and country levels. The task c) above includes a trip to Indonesia where the consultant will closely work with UNICEF Indonesia, government agencies, academia and other stakeholders.

 

Deliverables

Output 1 – Literature Review and Recommendations for Cost-Benefit Analysis Methods of pre-primary education

• Draft a literature review paper with a summary of available cost-benefit analysis methods for pre-primary education at the global level.  The literature review includes;
  • A list of indicators that represent private and public returns to investment in pre-primary education, includingeducation and cross-sectoral outcome indicators (e.g., increased enrolment rates in primary education and improved health status, increased wage due to higher learning outcomes, reduced child poverty risk), andefficiency gains in public systems due to investments in preprimary education (e.g., lower repetition rates, lower utilization rate of social assistance, higher tax collected from workers);
  • Draft recommendations for research methodologies
    • to estimate board benefits of preprimary education which are identified by the literature review; and
    • to carry out the cost-benefit analysis of pre-primary education to update and improve estimates presented in the paper “Strategies for reducing inequalities and improving developmental outcomes for young children in low and middle-income countries” (The Lancet, 2011)

Output 2 – Cost-benefit analysis of universal pre-primary education (with a focus of at least one year)

• Produce a UNICEF report on the cost-benefit analysis that will include the following components.
  • Key components of literature review based on Output 1;
  • Methodological note to estimate benefit-to-cost ratio of preprimary education;
  • Estimated benefit-to-cost ratios (at global, regional, and country levels to the extent possible); and
  • Statistical tables as annex.
• Data (e.g., excel files) and statistics program syntax
• An academic cost-benefit analysis paper focusing on the cost-benefit analysis ratios of preprimary education based on the UNICEF report
• A blog entry (about 700-1000 words)
• A PowerPoint presentation of the report
• Data files

Output 3 – Cost-benefit analysis of universal one-year pre-primary education in Indonesia

• Produce a UNICEF report on the cost-benefit analysis of pre-primary education in Indonesia including the following components.
  • Summary of the global report based on Output 2;
  • Literature review of Indonesian situation and evidence
  • Methodologies and data used for the cost-benefit analysis in Indonesia;
  • Estimated benefit-to-cost ratios;
  • Limitations of the study and future recommendations; and
  • Statistical tables as annex.
• Data (e.g., excel files) and statistics program syntax adapted to the Indonesian context
• A policy brief based on the results of the cost-benefit analysis of universal one-year pre-primary education in Indonesia
• A PowerPoint presentation of the report
• Data files

 

Location and Duration

The consultancy will be undertaken remotely.  It is expected that the consultant will have routine contact through email and phone/skype with UNICEF focal points as advised.  If needed, the consultant will travel to UNICEF HQ in New York, once or twice in the duration of the contract, to discuss the work and to resolve any major issues. For the Indonesian case study, the consultant will need travel to and stay in Jakarta for 2-3 weeks (flexible).

 

Time Frame:

Start Date: 15 September 2018
End Date: 28 February 2019

Deliverables	Number of Days	Deadline*
Output 1 – a draft literature review	5 days	October 15, 2018
Output 1 – a finalized literature review based on comments provided by UNICEF experts	2 days	October 30, 2018
Output 2 – a draft cost-benefit analysis report	20 days	November 20, 2018
Output 2 – a final cost-benefit analysis report based on comments provided by UNICEF experts	2 days	December 15, 2018
Output 2 – a short academic paper, a blog entry and a PowerPoint	5 days	January 5, 2019
Output 3 – a final methodology and data set used for cost-benefit analysis for Indonesia	6 days	December 15, 2018
Output 3 – a draft cost-benefit analysis report for Indonesia	22 days	January 15, 2019
Output 3 – a final cost-benefit analysis report based on comments provided by UNICEF and local partners	3 days	February 15, 2019
Output 3 – a short policy brief and a PowerPoint	5 days	February 28, 2019
TOTAL	70 days

*The exact number of days needed and deadlines each of the deliverables may be further discussed, amended and agreed between UNICEF and the Consultant.

 

Key competences, technical background, and experience required Deadline

• Advanced degree in relevant field, preferably economics, data analysis, statistics and social sciences in the area of early childhood development, early childhood education, international education.  A PhD degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of working experience in early childhood development and/or early childhood education, or Education.
• Relevant experience with cost-benefit analyses, preferably across countries and especially with low and lower middle income countries.
• Experience in conducting literature review with a proven track record.
• Experience in statistical and economic data analysis with large household survey data with a proven track record.
• Experience with providing technical support or working with low and lower middle income countries in the area of education; focus on early education is preferable
• Excellent writing skills and ability to synthesize complex information and issues.
• Strong analytical and conceptual thinking.
• Ability to survey literature in other UN languages (ex. French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and/or Russian) will be regarded as an asset.
• Ability to organize and plan complex work following the established timeframes.
• Ability to work effectively with others.

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable). Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

 

Remarks

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.