National Consultant - Integration of Climate Change into

About The Role

JOB DETAILS Type of contract : Consultant Contract Level : Level 2 - Middle Hiring Unit : Education Sector (ED) Duty Station : Islamabad Work location : On site Duration of contract : 6 months Hiring open to : External candidates Application deadline (Midnight UTC+5 Time) : 09/11/2026 UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism OVERVIEW The National Consultant will provide technical leadership and expertise to support the School Education Department (SED) of Balochistan and Elementary and Secondary Education Department (E&SED), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in strengthening the integration of climate change, environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction (DRR) into provincial learning assessment frameworks. The consultant will undertake technical reviews and mapping, identify priority competencies and learning outcomes, develop evidence-based recommendations and assessment approaches, and facilitate stakeholder consultation, co-creation, capacity development and validation processes. The assignment will be undertaken in close coordination with UNESCO, the respective Education Departments, relevant provincial institutions and the international expert team supporting CSESI. While working closely with the provincial Education Departments for the assignment, the consultant will be contracted, supervised, and managed by UNESCO and will report directly to UNESCO. Long Description B . BACKGROUND Funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), CSESI seeks to enhance countries’ capacities to mainstream climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability into education sector plans, budgets and strategies as well as to enhance education ministry capacity for cross-sectoral coordination on climate and environment-related policy and programming. The CSESI initiative in Pakistan will be structured around 7 component areas outlined further in this work program which has been developed by CSESI partners (Save the Children, UNESCO-ESD and UNESCO-IIEP) based on consultations with the School Education Departments and partners held in Islamabad in July 2025. The UNESCO Section of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) supports ministries of education specifically with integrating learning of climate change and environmental sustainability into formal and non-formal education. This entails reviewing and, where required, adjusting and revising national curricula and syllabi for pre-primary, primary and secondary schools as well as teaching and learning materials (TLMs) based on each country’s needs and opportunities. UNESCO uses a holistic learning approach of ESD to address climate change from economic, social and environmental perspectives, and supports the acquisition of knowledge, values and attitudes to underpin practical actions by learners to contribute to climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience and sustainable development. In addition to the resources available in the countries, UNESCO will use a set of global reference documents including the Greening Curriculum Guidance (UNESCO, 2024) and ESD for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives (UNESCO, 2017) as well as other guidance on curriculum alignment produced by UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE). Led by UNESCO in close collaboration with SED, Government of Balochistan and E&SED, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one of the objectives of CSESI in Pakistan is to support the integration of Sustainable Development themes into education, with an emphasis on climate change. It will involve reviewing the current learning assessment framework to identify gaps and opportunities for integration of climate/ environment/ DRR-related content. The review will inform the identification of priority topics and learning outcomes, drawing on the Greening Curriculum Guidance and applying a gender-sensitive lens. Based on this review, a set of recommendations will be developed for the integration of these priority topics and learning outcomes into the provincial learning assessment framework. To this end, the UNESCO seeks to engage an expert individual as a consultant to support the integration of climate and environment into learning assessments in Balochistan and KP. ASSIGNMENTS C. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVE: The objective of the assignment is to strengthen the capacity of the education systems in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to assess learners’ knowledge, competencies, attitudes and behaviours related to climate change, environmental sustainability and DRR. Specifically, the assignment will review existing learning assessment frameworks, identify gaps and priority learning outcomes, and develop contextually relevant, gender-responsive and evidence-based recommendations for their integration into provincial assessment systems, aligned with UNESCO’s Greening Curriculum Guidance and ongoing national and provincial curriculum reforms. SCOPE: The assignment will cover Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will encompass the review and mapping of existing learning assessment frameworks, curricula, policies, teaching and learning materials and other relevant education documents against climate change, environmental sustainability and DRR competencies and learning outcomes. It will include identification of priority topics and learning outcomes; development of competency-based, gender-responsive and inclusive assessment approaches; formulation of recommendations for revising and strengthening provincial learning assessment frameworks; and preparation of an implementation and scaling strategy. The consultant will also facilitate provincial consultations, co-creation and validation workshops, undertake capacity development of relevant stakeholders, and ensure alignment with ongoing national curriculum reforms and relevant provincial policies and priorities. ACTIVITIES : Under the overall authority of the Head of UNESCO Islamabad Office in Pakistan and the direct supervision of the Head of the Education, the national consultant will perform the following duties: The consultant will be responsible for supporting the integration of climate and environment into learning assessment by reviewing the status, identifying priorities and developing recommendations for the integration of these priority topics and learning outcomes into the learning assessment framework. Based on the global reference documents produced by UNESCO ESD Section, including the Greening Curriculum Guidance and other national or regional resources to be identified in consultation with the SED, and in concertation with the CSESI project team and the international experts, the consultant will deliver the following tasks: Long Description 1.Conduct a review of the current learning assessment frameworks and learning objectives for climate/ environment/ DRR-related content in Balochistan and KP to identify gaps and opportunities for integration. a. Review and map the existing learning assessment frameworks and other relevant curriculum and policy documents of Balochistan and KP against climate change, environmental sustainability, and DRR competencies and learning outcomes outlined in UNESCO's Greening Curriculum Guidance, considering the environmental, socio-economic, and cultural context of Balochistan. Learning assessment framework documents reviewed may include relevant policy and curriculum materials, including the Provincial Education Policy, Education Sector Plan, curriculum documents (including textbooks, syllabi, and lesson plans), as well as relevant provincial environmental protection policies. b. Identify a set of contextually relevant priority topics and learning outcomes to be incorporated into the learning assessment framework. c. Integrate local knowledge and ensure policy alignment by incorporating evidence from provincial stakeholder consultations and indigenous knowledge, while ensuring that the proposed learning outcomes and assessment priorities are aligned with the curriculum reform process led by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFE&PT) and can inform broader national curriculum reforms. d. Apply a gender-responsive approach to assess the extent to which existing learning objectives and assessment practices address the differentiated needs, experiences, and vulnerabilities of girls and boys, and recommend gender-responsive learning outcomes and assessment approaches that promote equality, inclusion, and resilience. Long Description 2. Provide recommendations for the integration of these priority topics and learning outcomes into the learning assessment framework by incorporating priority themes, competencies, and learning outcomes identified through the review process and UNESCO's Greening Curriculum Guidance. a. Develop evidence-based recommendations for strengthening the integration of climate change, environmental sustainability, and DRR into the provincial learning assessment frameworks of Balochistan and KP, including proposed learning outcomes, assessment methodologies, implementation considerations, and options for scaling across additional grades and subject areas. b. Develop an implementation and scaling strategy for the phased integration of the revised learning assessment framework, including key implementation considerations, institutional responsibilities, capacity development needs, and options for expansion across additional grades, subjects, and assessment levels. c. Ensure alignment with national curriculum reforms by harmonizing the proposed recommendations with the ongoing curriculum review led by the National Curriculum Council (NCC), MoFE&PT, and incorporating evidence and local knowledge generated through multi-stakeholder consultation workshops. d. Strengthen assessment approaches by recommending assessment methodologies that move beyond knowledge-based (cognitive) evaluation to include socio-emotional and Behavioural learning domains. Recommendations should include practical and competency-based assessment methods, such as performance tasks, observation checklists, practical assignments, portfolios, project journals, eco-action projects, and community engagement logs, as appropriate. e. Apply a gender-responsive and inclusive approach throughout the assignment by ensuring that recommendations reflect the principles of gender equality and inclusion outlined in UNESCO's Greening Curriculum Guidance. The consultant shall promote gender-balanced stakeholder participation during consultations and ensure that the proposed assessment framework addresses the diverse needs of learners, including considerations related to gender, disability, socio-economic background, language, and other dimensions of diversity. Recommendations should also address gender-specific climate vulnerabilities and promote equitable representation of women and men in climate-related learning and assessment materials. Long Description Support the School Education Department and UNESCO in organising and delivering at least 3 inter-ministerial, multi-stakeholder workshops per province (Quetta and Peshawar) for consultation, co-creation, capacity building and validation of outputs, totalling 6 workshops overall. These workshops will be critical for collecting meaningful inputs and feedback from key provincial stakeholders on the learning assessment review, as well as for securing consensus of identified priorities and validation of findings and recommendations. a. Facilitate the following 3 workshops in each province:  Workshop 1: Consultation workshop to review the findings from the learning assessment review, identify priority learning outcomes, agree on the approach for revising the learning assessment framework and provide a technical review of the draft recommendations for further inputs.  Workshop 2: Co-creation workshop to further refine learning assessment framework recommendations.  Workshop 3: Validation and endorsement of the final recommendations and revised learning assessment framework, including presentation of the final outputs to key provincial stakeholders. b. Facilitate stakeholder consultations both during the workshops and through bilateral meetings to collect technical input and feedback from relevant government institutions, academia, development partners, and civil society, and build consensus on priority climate-related learning outcomes, assessment approaches, and recommendations. c. Design and deliver capacity-building sessions during the workshops to strengthen stakeholders' understanding of climate change education, climate literacy, and approaches for integrating climate change, environmental sustainability, and DRR into learning assessments across different grade levels. D.COORDINATION AND COLLABORATUION The consultant will be jointly supervised by the UNESCO Islamabad with technical backstopping provided by a team of international expert consultants working with UNESCO HQ. The consultant will work in close collaboration with SED and E&SED, as well as in close consultation with the wider UNESCO CSESI team, other provincial technical departments, relevant government authorities and key partners including Save the Children. Activities need to be planned, developed, and implemented in close consultation and coordination with technical teams in the provincial education departments, including Bureau of Curriculum, Provincial Institute for Teacher Education (PITE), Textbooks Borad, Directorate of Schools, Climate Change and Environment Department, other relevant Provincial Departments and the UNESCO CSESI team. The consultant will ensure coordination with other partners delivering programmes in Climate Education, to ensure complementarity and alignment of initiatives, and avoid duplication. The consultant shall actively participate in the coordination mechanisms established under the CSESI and engage in regular technical consultations and bilateral meetings to ensure complementarity, alignment with provincial and national priorities, and effective knowledge sharing. The consultant will adopt a co-creation methodology to ensure the recommendations for revision of the learning assessments are co-developed jointly with key provincial stakeholders. The consultant will aim to achieve gender parity with project participants and apply an intersectional approach as outlined in the Greening Curriculum Guidance to ensure the learning assessment recommendations consider the range of diversities of learners including gender, class, language background and ability levels. CONTRACT DURATION Six months Long Description DELIVERABLES DELIVERABLES AND SUBMISSION TIMELINE The duration of the contract is six months, and the consultant will follow the indicative timeline below, which will be further elaborated through a detailed workplan developed by the consultant at the start of the assignment: 1. Inception report – by the end of week 2 of signing the contract  The report should include workplan and schedule, the outcome of bilateral consultations with key stakeholders and the plan for the learning assessment review.  The report should be around 10 pages, excluding annexes 2. Report per province on consultation workshop – By the end of month 2  A report per province detailing the process, key findings, outcomes and agreed priority topics and learning outcomes for learning assessment framework review, and consensus on the kind of revisions needed.  The annexes should include a list of participants (gender disaggregated)/their role/organization, concept note, agenda, presentations and draft workplan for co-creation phase.  The report for each province should be 10-20 pages, excluding annexes. 3. Report per province on the learning assessment framework review with set of priority topics and learning outcomes on climate/environment/DRR. – by the end of month 3  A report per province detailing the status of integration of climate and Sustainable Development-related topics and learning outcomes in existing learning assessment framework.  The report should include gaps, capacity needs, opportunities and actionable recommendations for the framework revision.  The report should also include a validated document identifying a set of priority topics and learning outcomes on climate and Sustainable Development, aligned with the Greening Curriculum Guidance and informed by local knowledge.  The report should also include plans for framework revision.  The report for each province should be 30-40 pages, excluding annexes 4. Report per province on co-creation workshop. – by the end of month 4  A report per province detailing the process, key findings, outcomes and agreed priorities of the learning assessment framework identified during the co-creation workshop, including feedback and inputs received for improved version.  The annexes should include a list of participants (gender disaggregated)/their role/organization, concept note, agenda, presentations and draft workplan for next steps.  The report for each province should be 10-20 pages, excluding annexes. 5. Recommendations per province for Revised Learning Assessment Framework – by the end of month 5  Report on learning assessment framework review with set of priority topics and learning outcomes on climate/environment/DRR  Set of recommendations for incorporating priority topics and learning outcomes into the learning assessment framework  The report for each province should be 15-20 pages, excluding annexes. 6. Report per province on validation workshop. – by the end of month 6  A report per province detailing the process, findings and outcomes of validation workshop, and agreed priorities for Government’s next steps including its roll-out of the learning assessment framework.  The annexes should include a list of participants (gender disaggregated)/their role/organization, concept note, agenda, and presentations.  The report for each province should be 15-20 pages, excluding annexes. Long Description F. REPORTING AND PAYMENTS The consultant will report to UNESCO Each deliverable should be accompanied by a report comprising programmatic and financial sections before each payment instalment is released. The programmatic section of the report should be short, specific and progressively build on previous report without repetition. The report for the final deliverable should also serve as a project completion report. Reporting templates should be agreed in advance with UNESCO. All reports should be submitted in English in PDF and Word formats. The consultancy contract will be issued by UNESCO under a fixed-term, results-based agreement. The budget for the consultancy will be allocated based on a detailed cost breakdown provided by the consultant. Payments will be disbursed in instalments upon satisfactory completion and approval of agreed upon deliverables between UNESCO and the consultant. COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M) Communication (C) Accountability (C) Innovation (C) Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework . REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS EDUCATION An advanced/ master’s degree in education, curriculum development, pedagogy or related field. WORK EXPERIENCE A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in the education sector, specifically in the fields of learning assessments, curriculum development, Teaching and Learning Materials, pedagogy and institutional capacity development; Strong command of global best practices in learning assessment development; Evidence of experience of similar assignments, including developing and revising curricula and TLMs in Pakistan; Long Description SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES Familiarity with Balochistan and KP's curriculum framework and TLMs; • Ability to work collaboratively with counterparts in government ministries at national and sub-national levels, as well as with international experts; • Demonstrated experience in the development of content and resources that which are user-friendly, adaptable and valuable for the final users; • Ability to facilitate technical discussions and consultations to secure the maximum technical advice in short amount of time; • Experience in implementing consultation, co-creation and capacity building workshops; • Ability to deliver results amid tight deadlines; • Excellent planning, organizational and coordination skills; • Ability to inject innovation in the work delivered; • Strong ability in negotiating with multiple counterparts on technical content. For detailed information please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework. LANGUAGES Excellent verbal and written skills in English and Urdu. Long Description DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION Education: PhD in education, curriculum development, pedagogy or related field. Professional Experience: A minimum of 20 years of experience in the education sector, with demonstrated expertise in learning assessments, curriculum development and review, teaching and TLMs, pedagogy and instructional practices, teacher professional development, education policy and planning, institutional capacity development, and education system strengthening. Experience in competency-based education, assessment frameworks, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, and translating assessment and learning evidence into policy and programme interventions would be a strong asset. Language Skills: Fluency in English and Urdu is required, with proficiency in any other local languages spoken in the area being an added advantage. APPLICATION PROCESS Interested candidates are kindly requested to click on “Apply Now”, then download and complete the Employment History Form (Word file). Before uploading the Employment History Form (Word file), at the end of the document, candidates must insert the extra pages with the following required information in English: Cover Letter: A brief statement outlining the candidate’s motivation, qualifications, expertise, suitability for the consultancy. Technical Proposal (max 5 pages), comprising: Understanding of the assignment, including challenges and approaches to addressing the challenges effectively and efficiently in the given timeframe Proposed methodology Detailed workplan Relevant experience Samples of previous relevant work authored by the applicant in Pakistan or a similar context Financial Proposal Proposed fees for the assignment quoted in US dollars, inclusive of consultancy fees, all other miscellaneous costs and the mandatory taxes as per the laws of Pakistan. The financial proposal should exclude the following costs, which will be covered by UNESCO: workshop logistical costs, translation services, printing of resources and travel cost. Any travel, if required under the assignment, will be subject to prior authorization and handled separately in accordance with the applicable travel arrangements and budget availability. A detailed breakdown of costs, specifying daily consultancy fees. The financial proposal must clearly outline all components of the total cost. Profile of Consultant(s) A comprehensive CV highlighting relevant experience, skills, and prior work pertinent to the consultancy. Details of all relevant work experience along with at most three references from previous clients. SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS Please note that all candidates must complete an online application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted. The evaluation of consultant is based on the following key criteria: Qualifications: The academic background and certifications relevant to the consultancy. Relevant Experience and Expertise : Candidate's prior experience in capacity building training and technical expertise in gender and school-related gender-based violence. Quality of Proposed Approach: The feasibility, innovation, and thoroughness of the proposed methodology and workplan. Cost-Effectiveness: The competitiveness and transparency the financial proposal, ensuring value for money. References and Past Performance: Feedback from previous clients or employers and evidence of successful completion of similar assignments. Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence The consultant may use generative AI tools to support the assignment but must disclose their use and remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality and quality of all deliverables. AI-generated content, data and references must be independently verified and reflect the relevant national and provincial contexts. Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline. To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website . No modifications can be made to the application once submitted. The pr