UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

Are you interested to join a highly motivated and dynamic environment? Do you have the ability required to be part of the country office’s team? We seek a responsible, well spoken, dependable and highly organized individual with a professional approach to their work for the position of:
 

Vacancy announcement 

International UNV Volunteer                   Lesotho College of Education (LCE)

POST AND JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title:                                         LCE International UNV Volunteer specialist       Distance Teacher Education Programme (DTEP) Development Worker

Reporting to:                                     Director Distance Education (DDE)

Sector:                                                Education

Country of Assignment:                   Lesotho

Expected Duration of Assignment: 12 months

Location:                                             Leribe district and LCE campus, Maseru.

The UNV volunteer ethos in the post of LCE International UNV Volunteer specialist DTEP Development Worker

This post is a United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment in the Distance Teacher Education Programme (DTEP) of the Lesotho College of Education (LCE) and is based on the values of free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity, which are the foundations of volunteerism. Volunteering brings benefits to the individual volunteer, as well as to society. It makes important contributions, economically as well as socially. It contributes to creating social cohesion and capital, through helping to build trust and reciprocity among citizens.

United Nations Volunteers (UNV) is the UN organization that supports sustainable human development globally through the promotion of volunteerism and the mobilization of volunteers. It serves the causes of peace and development through enhancing opportunities for participation by all peoples. It is universal, inclusive and embraces volunteer actions in all their diversity.

Volunteerism is diverse and is embedded in all cultures and traditions. In this context, as a UNV Volunteer, you are encouraged and expected to relate to local volunteerism and to be identified with the concept. You are expected to regard your national and international colleagues as peers and together uphold trust as volunteers among yourselves and within the communities and organizations to which you are assigned.

Background to the position of LCE International UNV Volunteer specialist Development Worker

The establishment of the Distance Teacher Education Programme (DTEP) came as a response to the material need to improvements in the number and professional quality of primary school teachers in Lesotho, as it became evident with the implementation of the Free Primary Education (FPE) initiative. In 2002, when DTEP began, existing on-campus programmes of the College could not meet the growing demand nor could the schools and qualifying teachers afford full-time training programmes. The distance education mode of teacher training was therefore chosen as the most suitable and least disruptive option to meet the needs of the primary education sector at that time.

DTEP is specifically designed as an in-service training programme for experienced but unqualified and under-qualified primary school teachers teaching in Lesotho primary schools. The programme caters for serving teachers with at least two years of teaching experience. Trainees study on-the-job, relying mainly on study modules and weekend workshops in organized clusters within their regions. In addition to using study modules and attending workshops, trainees receive support from the site tutors who visit them in schools to observe them teach and provide any needed support on study materials and teaching.

The programme aims to improve the professional competence of practicing unqualified teachers; to increase their knowledge; improve their understanding of the subjects in the primary school curriculum; refine their intellectual and practical skills and encourage the development of strong personal interests. Trainees who complete the DTEP, graduate with a Diploma in Education Primary and acquire a status similar to that attained by pre-service trainees.

Functions and responsibilities of the LCE International UNV Volunteer specialist DTEP Development Worker

Under the general supervision of the Director Distance Education (DDE), the International UNV Volunteer specialist DTEP Development Worker shall be responsible for coordinating activities of the Full-Time Site Tutors in her/his region, such as attending meetings; keeping records of activities and student profiles in the region; constructing the budget for the region and assessing the operation of the programme. She/he will be expected to contribute in many ways outlined below to the development of the DTEP programme, including its curriculum, assessment and learner-support arrangements.

Duties and Responsibilities

They will, in the course of their assignment, work closely with the LCE National UNV Volunteer specialist DTEP Tutor to ensure maximum delivery on the project; a mutually supportive working environment in which knowledge and skills are exchanged freely and a cooperative approach to all planning and implementation of activities on the project. They will also:

(A)    Assess programme performance and needs

1. At the outset, conduct, with their National UNV Volunteer counterpart, a needs assessment of the programme through survey, interviews and focus groups
2. (a) Collect and prepare summaries for monthly reports (workshops; class     visits; counseling etc.) from Site Tutors of the region

(b) Help organize student evaluation of the programme delivery and services.

3. Check and help organize student profiles in the region and train others in the same
4. Help develop a system of filing and maintaining all site information in her/his region
5. Help develop DTEP in general.

(B)       Provide technical assistance to off-campus training sessions

1.   Serve full-time in the site or sites assigned to her/him

2.   Supervise full-time in the region assigned to her/him

3.   Be available to support students and tutors in the region

4.   Schedule and supervise cluster workshops in the region

5.   Help develop learning materials for students

6.   Help in the processing of claims for Part-Time Site Tutors and send them

     to the DDE’s office

7.  Participate in constructing budgets for activities of the region and submit

     them to the DDE’s office

8.  Collaborate with other teachers, officers etc. in the region and beyond for

     DTEP purposes

9.   Participate in the development of the DTEP consolidated budget

10. Periodically report on the activities of her/his region to the DDE’s office.

(C)       Provide technical assistance to residential training sessions

1. Help assess the conduct of face-to-face training sessions, including on-campus revision work
2. Provide input to staff on assignments and examination questions
3. Attend meetings with Tutors and/or students.

(D)       Liaise with LCE in curriculum design and the development of course     material

1. Help review and develop the DTEP curriculum
2. Assist in the development of learning materials
3. Help review and revise DTEP modules.

(E)    Training of programme personnel in best practices for setting up and operating teacher resource centres

1. Contribute to the setting up of usable and effective resource centres
2. Train and supervise Part-Time Site Tutors
3. Orient and guide Part-Time Site Tutors
4. Coordinate the purchase of items and maintenance of learning centres in the region
5. Train the National UNV counterpart in DTEP operations.

(F)    Monitor and evaluate the programme at project end

1. Contribute to the end of project cycle evaluation
2. Help prepare a report on the project evaluation.

(G)    Actively engage with UNV in developing volunteerism

1. Participate in the Lesotho Volunteer Forum/Lesotho Youth Volunteer Forum and actively engage in the promotion, advocacy and integration of the volunteer ethos across all sectors, in your capacity as the LCE International UNV Volunteer specialist Development Worker
2. Schedule, as part of your workplan, participation in key volunteer dates, for example, 12 August (International Youth Day); 24 October (UN Day) and 5 December (International Volunteer Day) and others as they may arise during the course of your International UNV Volunteer placement
3. Report, as and when required, to UNV Lesotho and to UNV.

(H)       Carry out other duties as may be deemed necessary by your supervisor.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:                                        Master’s Degree in Education OR Master’s Degree in the Social Sciences or equivalent qualification

Experience and Competencies:   A minimum of five years teaching experience in similar organizational or institutional settings.

                                                            A strong team spirit.

                                                Attention to detail

                                                Budgetary planning and monitoring capability

                                                Ability to develop, monitor and control project plans.

If you are interested in this position, please go to the UNV web site to register your interest in becoming a UNV Volunteer (www.unv.org) and subsequently go to the page where this UNV opportunity is posted (http://www.unv.org/en/how-to-volunteer/unv-volunteers.html )

Your CV can be copied to registry.ls@undp.org  with the vacancy title in the subject

 Only short listed candidates will be responded to

 Closing date for applications: 15^thMay, 2009