Consultant

Consultant

Overview

CSESI was launched in early 2023 by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in partnership with Save the Children, UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Section and UNESCO‑IIEP. The initiative is being implemented in 35 countries and seeks to strengthen national capacities to:

• Mainstream climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability into education sector plans, policies and budgets; and
• Enhance education ministry capacity for cross‑sectoral coordination on climate- and environment‑related policy and programming.

CSESI promotes a systems approach, supporting scalable models for integrating climate action into education and fostering coordination across policy, planning, curriculum, teacher development, infrastructure and data systems to build resilience among learners and education systems.

UNESCO applies a holistic Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) approach, addressing climate change from environmental, social and economic perspectives and supporting the development of knowledge, values, attitudes and competencies that enable learners to contribute to mitigation, adaptation, resilience and sustainable development. Global reference documents guiding this work include the Greening Curriculum Guidance (UNESCO, 2024), ESD for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives (UNESCO, 2017), and curriculum alignment guidance developed by UNESCO‑IBE.

Long Description

Terms of Reference

Objective of the Consultancy

The main objective of this consultancy is to support the integration of climate change, environmental sustainability and DRR into teacher training programmes in the Maldives by:

• Reviewing existing pre‑service and in‑service teacher training resources;
• Identifying priority climate and environmental topics and learning outcomes aligned with national frameworks and UNESCO guidance;
• Assessing teachers’ and school leaders’ readiness to teach climate/environment/DRR; and
• Updating teacher training materials and developing supplementary teaching aids that promote learner‑centred, inclusive and action‑oriented pedagogies in English.

The consultant will work closely with the MoE, NIE, teacher training institutions and TRCs, supported by UNESCO and CSESI partners.

Scope of Work and Key Activities

This activity will be aligned with curriculum and learning frameworks and focus on equipping teachers with the knowledge, tools and strategies to deliver climate education effectively. Based on global reference documents produced by UNESCO’s ESD Section and IBE, and national resources identified in collaboration with the MoE and NIE, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Activity: Support Integration of Climate and the Environment into Teaching

Step 1 – Assessment and Mapping of Teacher Training Resources

Support ongoing review of the existing teacher training resources from primary to secondary levels for climate/environment/DRR-related content to identify gaps, opportunities and a set of contextually relevant priority topics and learning outcomes to be incorporated from the Greening Curriculum Guidance.

This activity will involve a structured review and mapping of existing pre‑service and in‑service teacher training curricula, modules and training materials (primary to secondary levels) to determine the extent to which climate change, environmental sustainability and DRR topics and learning outcomes are currently integrated.

This will include:

• Mapping existing content and pedagogical approaches;
• Defining, in collaboration with NIE, a set of priority climate/environment/DRR topics and learning outcomes, drawing on the Greening Curriculum Guidance and aligned with the National Curriculum Framework.
• Identifying gaps, opportunities and capacity needs; and

Long Description

Step 2 – Teacher Readiness Assessment

Conduct assessment of teachers’ and school leaders’ readiness to teach climate/environment/DRR to identify capacity gaps and entry points for integration of priority topics into teacher education curricular frameworks and programmes. The assessment will be conducted remotely through an online survey including school leaders and national education institutions across the country and will measure 3 key dimensions: Knowledge (Climate Science and Pedagogy), Attitudes and Practice.

This activity will be conducted through an online survey.

The assessment will focus on three key dimensions:

• Knowledge (climate science and pedagogical content knowledge, with emphasis on local climate issues such as sea‑level rise, coastal erosion and extreme weather);
• Attitudes and confidence (self‑efficacy) to teach climate and environmental topics; and
• Practice, including use of learner‑centred and action‑based pedagogies.

Findings will be analysed to identify capacity gaps and entry points for strengthening teacher education and professional development.

Long Description

Step 3 – Development and Updating of Teacher Training Materials

In collaboration with NIE, update existing pre-service and in-service teacher training resources and programmes and develop new supplementary teaching aids to build the capacities of teachers to teach the priority topics and learning outcomes, focusing on interactive, inclusive and gender-responsive pedagogies. This will complement the UNESCO-UNU climate literacy framework for teachers pilot initiative, which is to be undertaken in Maldives between 2025-2027.

This activity will be based on findings from Steps 1 and 2, and in close collaboration with NIE the consultant will:

• Update selected pre‑service and in‑service teacher training materials to incorporate priority climate/environment/DRR topics, learning outcomes and pedagogical guidance; and
• Develop supplementary teaching aids (e.g. lesson exemplars, facilitation notes, formative assessment tools) to support classroom practice.

The updated resources will prioritise transformative, action‑oriented and learner‑centred pedagogies, including place‑based learning using island and atoll contexts, inquiry‑based projects and scenario planning to connect learners with the local environment and empower them to be solutions-oriented. Inclusive and gender‑responsive practices will be integrated throughout.

Step 4 – Consultation, Validation and Finalization

Support UNESCO, the MoE and NIE in organizing consultation and validation workshops with relevant stakeholders to review and validate the updated teacher training materials and teaching aids.

Incorporate feedback and finalize deliverables, including recommendations for institutionalization through NIE and national teacher education systems.

During the handover process at the end of the project, it will be recommended for the developed resources to be officially endorsed by the MoE and integrated into the NIE's core curriculum and mandatory teacher qualification programmes for all new teachers in order to institutionalize the updated content.

DELIVERABLES

Deliverables

The deliverables for this consultancy shall include:

• Assessment and Mapping Report on Teacher Training Resources A report documenting the review of pre‑service and in‑service teacher training materials, including:

• Status of integration of climate/environment/DRR topics;

• Identified gaps and capacity needs; and

• A validated set of priority topics and learning outcomes.

• Teacher Readiness Assessment Report A report on capacity assessment presenting findings from the online survey conducted across Maldives, including analysis of knowledge, attitudes and practices, and actionable recommendations for integration of priority topics and learning outcomes into teacher education.

• Updated Teacher Training Materials and Supplementary Teaching Aids Revised teacher training materials and newly developed supplementary resources/teaching aids that incorporate priority topics and learning outcomes

• Consultation and Validation Workshop Report A report summarizing the consultation and validation process, feedback received and final outcomes.

Profile of the Candidate

The consultant should meet the following requirements:

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in education, curriculum development, teacher education, pedagogy, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), environmental education, or a related field. Alternatively, Bachelor’ degree with three years of relevant experience.
• A minimum of two (2) years of progressive professional experience in the education sector, with dem