REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: UNICEF SUPPORT TO MINISTRY OF EDUCATION LEARNING PASSPORT

1. BACKGROUND

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closure of schools for long periods. This left an estimated 511,318 children and adolescents enrolled in 2,076 schools including early childhood development centers without access to learning. The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) in collaboration with UNICEF Lesotho and the Local Education Group (LEG) developed a sector specific COVID 19 Preparedness and Response Strategy to ensure continuity of learning during school closures; promote safe reopening of schools and ECCD Centres; support teachers on accelerated teaching and learning, and conduct back to school campaigns. The primary funding to support this work came from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). As part of the continuity of learning, UNICEF Lesotho supported the MOET to establish an online learning platform, the Learning Passport (LP), which provides a digitized curriculum with textbooks and a selection of supplemental digital learning content. The content on the Learning Passport will be curated to best serve learner's and educators' specific needs. Apart from the learners, the Learning Passport will also be accessed by teachers, school leaders, parents, and the wider society.

UNICEF Lesotho is seeking an institutional contractor to provide technical support in the deployment of the Learning Passport, as part of MOET#s continuity of learning strategy for education sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The contractor will help strengthen the capacity of the ICT Focal Points in the Ministry to manage the Lesotho Learning Passport platform on a long-term basis; establish a core team of Learning Passport Champions (in all districts) to mobilize learners in schools and communities to enroll and register on the platform; support MOET in troubleshooting and uploading digital learning resources and materials on the platform.

1.1 OBJECTIVES

UNICEF is, therefore, commissioning a contractor who will undertake this assignment with the following objectives:

• To support the Ministry of Education and Training to have a strengthened capacity to manage, coordinate, and support all programme implementation activities related to the Learning Passport.
• The institutional contractor will work with MOET and UNICEF Senior ICT Associate in the deployment of Lesotho Learning Passport.