JOB DETAILS
Type of contract : Consultant Contract
Level : Level 3 - Senior
Hiring Unit : EDUCATION
Duty Station : Apia
Work location : SAMOA
Duration of contract : 3 MONTHS
Hiring open to : EXTERNAL CANDIDATES
Application deadline (Midnight Time) : 14th August 2026
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The "Fostering STEM Education in Africa and SIDS" project seeks to enhance the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in four countries – Mali, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Uganda. The Project aims to develop quality, relevant and gender-transformative STEM curricula and programmes that complement and enrich existing Science and Mathematics curricula, while also strengthening teaching resources, learning infrastructures, and gender equality.
The Project will provide technical support to facilitate the identification of STEM skills needs in the target countries, to inform the development of STEM curricula and programmes that will enable students to acquire the required competencies to become active and fulfilled citizens in the development of their societies and economies. A strong focus will be put on the introduction of innovative, learner-centered approaches, including the use of specialized laboratories (STEM Labs/Hubs) to foster innovation through student engagement and hands-on activities that allow learners to explore and experiment with STEM concepts using various tools and materials.
Samoa as one of the Project Countries, will implement Project activities to enhance STEM education, that are informed by a situational analysis that recommended the need for activities to focus on targeted support to enhance STEM competencies (skills, knowledge and attitudes), STEM teaching pedagogies, STEM teaching resources, STEM facilities (labs and hubs), and STEM teachers and STEM trainers’ capacities (professional development), while simultaneously addressing harmful stereotypes and norms that can influence participation and sense of belonging in STEM
In addition, the Project activities for Samoa are also extended to the collection and analysis of data related to STEM education and training programme enrolments, graduates and employment. In addition, there are also activities on strengthening STEM advocacy and communications efforts to promote opportunities and benefits of STEM education and fostering inclusivity, increased and equitable participation of both female and male in STEM education and employment. The Project activities are also designed to focus and address the gaps and needs for STEM education at the primary, secondary school and post school training institutions levels.
To be specific, STEM in Samoa’s primary and secondary education aims to bridge the digital divide and improve low literacy and numeracy levels. Initiatives include building new STEM resources, fostering digital literacy, and introducing inquiry-based science curricula that connect to local culture. In primary education, the focus is on foundational literacy and numeracy with the use of digital technology and interactive science kits and scientific inquiry skills through science and mathematics as core subjects in the national curriculum.
In secondary education, the focus is on building foundational and advanced skills in science and mathematics, with integration of technology and engineering concepts. Core subjects include biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, food and textiles technology and vocational-related technological skills, and mathematics split into general and science streams while technology is integrated into vocational science.
CONSULTANCY OBJECTIVES
Under the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States and through the direct supervision of the Education Programme Specialist and working closely with the Education Sector STEM Project Focal Point, the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States will manage a Consultancy that recruits a National Consultant for Samoa.
The National Consultant will provide essential support to ensure that the process of enhancing Science and Mathematics curricula in Samoa, is widely consulted and informed by the needs and priorities of the primary, secondary school and post school training institutions; and that the process is evidence and needs based, it is inclusive and gender transformative.
In practice, the National Consultant will work closely with the Education Sector, and specifically with curriculum developers and teachers, and will provide technical expertise to;
- lead the design and development of STEM Skills Demand Assessment; and facilitate technical working groups of curriculum developers, teachers, leaders, and trainers to enhance existing Science and Mathematics curricula by developing a gender-transformative STEM curriculum based on findings and recommendations of the STEM Skills Needs Analysis.
- lead and provide technical advice to assess STEM labs and hubs and draft guidelines on how these facilities will be best utilised.
- support the application of international guidelines for the creation of STEM labs/hubs and their integration across the newly developed curricula, to ensure the effective delivery of gender-transformative STEM programmes.
The National Consultant will collaborate with the International Consultant to make sure that international quality standards and best practices are respected in the domains targeted by the interventions.
CONSULTANCY TASKS
The National Consultant must possess an in-depth background in STEM education and have established working relations with the Education Sector and the STEM industries in Samoa. The National Consultant will collaborate with the International Consultant and the UNESCO Project Team (in Headquarters and in Samoa) and is expected to provide technical expertise in the following tasks:
- STEM Skills Demand Assessment
The STEM Skills Demand Assessment serves as the foundation for the Implementation Phase, establishing the evidence base for curriculum enhancement and the development of STEM labs/hubs in Samoa. However, the term “skills demand” requires careful interpretation in the context of secondary-level STEM education.
The Inception Phase Synthesis Report identified a persistent challenge across all four countries: secondary STEM education remains disconnected from post-secondary education. Curricula emphasise content coverage and factual recall over genuine understanding and application. Students receive limited opportunity for hands-on investigation. STEM learning feels abstract and disconnected from students’ lives and their countries’ development challenges. When students complete secondary school, many lack the foundational capabilities that universities, technical institutions, and employers consistently identify as essential, not advanced specialised knowledge, but rather fundamental competencies such as conceptual understanding, practical investigative skills, problem-solving ability, and the capacity to apply STEM thinking to real-world situations.
This assessment, therefore, does not aim to map immediate labour-market requirements or vocational competencies. The assessment examines the foundational competencies that students in the primary, secondary and post-secondary levels need, to develop so that they can successfully pursue diverse futures and meaningfully participate in an economy increasingly shaped by STEM.
Consultancy Tasks (cont.)
To conduct the Skills Demand Assessment the consultancy assignment will be guided by the following tasks;
- 2. Lead STEM Curriculum Enhancement process Building on the STEM Skills Demand Assessment, the subsequent phase of work focuses on developing practical guidance to support curriculum enhancement and the establishment or strengthening of STEM labs/hubs. This work proceeds through two parallel but interconnected streams: technical guidance for curriculum enhancement, and guidelines for STEM laboratories and hubs. Both streams are informed by the competency priorities, gaps, and contextual realities identified through the assessment process. The approach recognises that enhancing STEM education requires both what students learn (curriculum content and competencies) and how they learn (pedagogical approaches and learning environments). Curriculum enhancement guidance addresses the former, articulating how existing Science and Mathematics curricula can be strengthened to develop priority competencies identified through assessment. STEM labs/hubs guidelines address the latter, providing direction on how practical learning environments can enable the hands-on, inquiry based, and applied learning necessary for genuine competency development. To conduct the curriculum enhancement work the consultancy assignment will be guided by the following tasks;
- Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive assessment that will identify gaps in foundational STEM competencies and their alignment with skills demand that will contribute to the teaching of these competencies at the primary, secondary and post school institutions.
- Conduct a review of the STEM context, policies, curricula and standards, and map STEM learning activities across primary, secondary, and post‑school institutions, including analysis of gender-related gaps and disparities in participation, access, and learning outcomes.
- Lead data collection and analysis through stakeholder consultation processes (including structured focus group discussions) and, where appropriate, qualitative or quantitative surveys or diagnostic assessments across the schools, training institutions, and STEM industries to identify skills in demand and the matching foundational competencies, while examining gender-related barriers, enablers, and participation patterns.
- Identify, organise, and facilitate a national stakeholder consultation (focus group) in line with the agreed assessment framework (including representation from teachers, ministry officials, education leaders, and relevant stakeholders).
- Organise national consultations to present, discuss and validate findings from the survey or diagnostic assessment.
- Draft the STEM Skills Demand Assessment Report providing the technical recommendations to integrate and align the foundational STEM competencies adn their alignment with relevant future pathways including further education, training, and opportunities in STEM, ensuring that recommendations support the development of gender-transformative STEM education.
- 3. Develop Guidelines for STEM Laboratories and Hubs This component of the project develops guidance to support countries in strengthening STEM education capacities by establishing or upgrading laboratories and STEM learning hubs as enabling environments for practical, learner-centred STEM education in alignment with the enhanced STEM curricula. To conduct the development of STEM labs/hubs guidelines the consultancy assignment will be guided by the following tasks. The National Consultant must maintain explicit linkage between the Skills Demand Assessment findings, curriculum enhancement guidance, and STEM labs/hubs guidelines and must ensure that recommendations on “what students learn” (curriculum) and “how they learn” (learning environments) reinforce each other and collectively support competency development, including the development of gender-transformative STEM education. Consultancy Deliverables The National Consultant is expected to deliver the following: All the deliverables must be shared with UNESCO for review and any feedback must be addressed before they can be considered final. Consultancy Qualifications and Experience Advanced degree in Education, International Development, STEM, or a related field. Minimum of 10 years of experience in STEM education, curriculum development, teacher education, or project management, with a focus on STEM education. Proven experience in STEM curriculum enhancement, particularly in developing countries or small island developing states (SIDS) and in Samoa. Expertise in gender-transformative approaches in STEM education and promoting gender equality in education, particularly in the context of STEM education. Demonstrated experience in designing or advising on STEM labs, makerspaces, innovation hubs, or hands-on STEM learning environments, including equipment specification, maintenance, safety, layout, and technology integration. Experience providing technical guidance to governments, curriculum institutions, or national expert teams. Familiarity with UNESCO’s education standards and international education frameworks. Consultancy Timeframe and Deliverable Schedule The UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States aims to recruit the technical expertise of the National Consultant for a period of 5 months to commence by August 2026. Deliverables Due Date Payment Percentage Project Activities Work Plan (Skills Demand Assessment, STEM curricula enrichment work plan; STEM lab/hubs guidelines development work plan) October 2026 25% Skills Demand Assessment Report October 2026 25% Final enriched STEM curricula and STEM lab/hub contextualized guidelines + Roadmap for the piloting of STEM labs/hubs (v and vi) November 2026 25% Final Narrative Report. December 2026 25% Long Description Consultancy Reporting The National Consultant will report directly to the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States based in Apia Samoa, through close collaboration with the Education Programme Coordinator. Application Process The UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States invites qualified experts to submit the following Expression of Interest Letter Technical Proposal (outlining approaches, methodologies and plan to conduct and achieve the tasks in the best of quality and timely manner) Financial proposal The UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States will assess all applications and will inform the successful applicant only in due course. The successful applicant will enter into a Contract with UNESCO which will specify details of the assignment and formalize the working arrangements with the Project. Please address the application as – National Consultant STEM Project and submit to the email address – apia@unesco.org Payment Payment will be made upon UNESCO’s review and approval of all submitted deliverables. The Contractor agrees to revise the deliverables as necessary to address any feedback provided by UNESCO. CONTRACT DURATION Three Months - October to December 2026 COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M) For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework. SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS 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 process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications. Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Translate the foundational STEM competencies identified in the Skills Demand Assessment into clear curriculum implications for Science and Mathematics, including identification of priority areas for gender-transformative STEM learning.
- Provide technical direction on how existing curricula can be strengthened to develop and integrate these competencies, including inquiry‑based learning, conceptual understanding, problem‑solving, and applied STEM thinking, while promoting inclusive and gender-responsive pedagogical approaches..
- Work with curriculum officers and national stakeholders to contextualise guidance, ensuring alignment of the enriched curricula or new STEM curriculum with national policies, teaching realities, and resource availability, and reflecting gender-transformative considerations.
- Ensure all curriculum guidance integrates gender‑transformative approaches and leverages available technological assets.
- Translate competency priorities into practical requirements for STEM learning environments, identifying the types of hands‑on, investigative, and applied learning that labs/hubs must support, ensuring equitable access and participation for all learners.
- Draft contextualised guidelines for the design, upgrading, and utilisation of STEM labs/hubs, including minimum safety standards, essential equipment, accessibility considerations, and maintenance procedures, and promoting safe, inclusive, and gender-responsive learning environments.
- Ensure guidelines reflect national realities, resource constraints, and school‑level capacities, and are aligned with the International Consultant’s quality parameters.
- Lead national consultations with ministries, schools, TVET providers, and STEM industries to ensure curriculum guidance and lab/hub guidelines are relevant, feasible, and nationally owned.
- Facilitate working sessions to adapt international methodological direction to Samoa’s context, ensuring coherence between curriculum enhancement and practical learning environments.
- Support alignment of guidance with national processes, policies, and implementation pathways.
- Project Activities Work Plan (Skills Demand Assessment, STEM curricula enrichment work plan; STEM lab/hubs guidelines development work plan)
- Findings of the Skills Demand Assessment
- Priority foundational STEM competencies for integration in Maths and Science curricula or to develop new STEM curricula.
- Samoa STEM Skills Needs Analysis Report
- Guidelines for STEM labs/hubs and Roadmap for the piloting of STEM labs/hubs
- Final Narrative Report.
- Communication (C)
- Accountability (C)
- Innovation (C)
- Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
- Planning and organizing (C)
- Results focus (C)
- Teamwork (C)
- UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
- UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
- lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
- All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
- UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.
