Special & Inclusive Education (SIE) Adviser - Australia Fiji Education Program

Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP)

• Short Term Personnel (60 working - days over an approximately 9 calendar month - period, to be agreed) 
• Remote – home based with travel to Suva, Fiji 
• Please apply online by submitting a cover letter addressing how you meet the selection criteria for this role and up-to-date comprehensive CV.    

Program Overview:    

The Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP or the ‘Platform’) is a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment that contributes to the delivery of Fiji’s national development priorities, in line with the Australia’s International Development Policy, the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership and the Development Partnership Plan.  

The Platform delivers key bilateral programs, such as health, education, scholarships, social infrastructure, governance, climate and emergency preparedness and response. Platform activities identify and address climate risks, promote climate action, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) across and beyond the sector programs.

The Platform has three functional Outcomes:

1. The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments.
2. The Platform has prioritised gender equality, disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji (GoF) agencies.
3. The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance, and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management.

AFEP Overview:

The Australian Government is supporting Fiji’s education sector through the Australia Fiji Education Program (AFEP, the Program) working with the Ministry of Education (MoE).

The objective of the AFEP is “to work with the Government of Fiji under the Vuvale Partnership to catalyse quality education delivery for all Fijian children”.

The changes expected by the end of the five-year program are:

• EOPO 1: Schools, particularly trial schools, have improved student literacy and numeracy outcomes, supported by enabling policies, plans and data from the Ministry of Education. 
• EOPO 2: Heads of schools and teachers, supported by enabling policies and data from the Ministry of Education, provide a safe, resilient and inclusive learning environment for all students, particularly in trial schools. 

Four intermediate outcomes will provide pathways to meet these end of program outcomes in priority areas, like implementation of the revised literacy and numeracy curriculum in primary and secondary schools, professional development interventions, analysis and improvement of the Fiji Education Management Information System (FEMIS), as well as GEDSI and student wellbeing.  

The funding for the program is approximately AUD45 million over 9 years (5 years, with an option to extend for a further 4 years) and delivered through a range of activities to achieve the program’s objectives. Implementation modalities include technical advice, procurement of technical services and goods, minor works and infrastructure upgrades, capacity building and training support, support to Ministry led initiatives and innovations, and grants to civil society organisations (CSOs).

Position Summary: 

The purpose of the Special & Inclusive Education Adviser is to provide technical expertise, advice and guidance to MoE and the Education Program to further develop and institutionalise inclusive education best practice in Fiji.  

The Adviser will provide strategic, system and pedagogical advice and inputs in support of the MoE Special and Inclusive Education (SIE) Policy and Implementation Plan for inclusive learning at central, district and school levels, notably the development and roll-out of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and associated resources for children with disabilities in mainstream schools. Working closely with MoE, the Adviser will also work with local special education stakeholders and Teacher Training Institution (TTI) partners on approaches to increase the capacity of mainstream teachers to provide a quality education for children with disabilities in their classrooms, schools and communities. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Provide expert technical advice, guidance and input to MoE and Program staff and stakeholders on the effective implementation of the Special and Inclusive Education Policy. Advice will be grounded in rights-based approaches and international best practice in inclusive education.
• Provide MoE technical and pedagogical inputs that guide the development of inclusive practices in mainstream schools, including strengthening the quality and use of IEPs and building teachers’ capacity to apply them in daily classroom practice.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of the Program’s disability inclusion efforts, including strengthening implementation of the disability disaggregation module within FEMIS.  
• Support the development of capacity development resources and activities for local special education stakeholders to enhance their disability inclusion approaches.
• Work collaboratively with GEDSI, MEL and other technical advisers to ensure coherence and quality of inclusive approaches across the program.
• Any other tasks relevant to the Program as required by the Team Leader, Education. 
• Ensure all technical advice and activities adhere to and promote child protection and safeguarding standards. 

Key Deliverables 

• The adviser will develop a workplan, in consultation with the Team Leader outlining priorities and sequencing of inputs across the engagement.
• Development of agreed technical products such as IEP guidelines or tools for teachers, HoS, Counsellors and other stakeholders supporting children with disability in the school system, other teacher guidance notes, tools or briefing papers as requested by MoE and AFEP, and technical inputs into MEL products or Program reports.
• MoE SIE and AFEP teams are effectively supported through the provision of specialist technical/pedagogical advice, expertise and inputs.
• Support to MoE for the development of hybrid professional development materials in support of teachers, HoS, Counsellors and other stakeholders working with IEP in the school system
• Support AFEP and MoE in their development of a decentralised SIE resource draft model for strengthened support to children with learning difficulties.
• Make recommendations for alignment of SIE grant and IEP, strengthening access and quality of education for students with disabilities. 

Key Working Relationships: 

The role will sit within  District & Cluster Leadership for effective and inclusive schools and clusters - District PD

• AFEP supporting the MoE SIE team. The Advisor will work with the AFEP SIE Coordinator, the MoE SIE Education Officer and MoE Currciulum Officer responsible for SIE.
• The adviser will report to the Team Leader with deliverables reviewed and approved in consultation with relevant MoE counterparts. 

Selection Criteria: 

Qualifications  

• A minimum of a master’s degree in education is a requirement, preferably with specialisation in special and inclusive education.
• If no master’s specialisation in special and inclusive education, candidates must demonstrate extensive experience in SIE pedagogy, with a strong track record in teaching, curriculum development, or inclusive education practice.

Experience  

• Experience in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of rights-based development programs and policies, preferably including experience working on disability inclusive development programs and policies.  
• At least 10 years’ experience in special education teaching and learning.
• At least 5 years’ experience in the following roles –administration, training, research, advocacy, inter-agency liaison.  
• Demonstrated experience in training counterparts in special needs / learning disabilities knowledge and mainstreaming pedagogies.
• Demonstrable experience of high-level analytical and strategic planning skills.  
• Proven experience helping implement practical and impactful gender equality and social inclusion approaches. 
• Demonstrated experience supporting system-level changes in education including policy implementation and institutional capacity development, would be an advantage.

Skills and Knowledge  

• Knowledge and understanding of the special learning needs of students and appropriate pedagogy and programs for students with different types of disabilities (e.g. sensory, physical, intellectual, behavioural and emotional) and multiple disabilities.
• Knowledge of the Australian Department of foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) policies on inclusive education and disability inclusive development.  
• Knowledge of the Fiji education system is desirable.  
• Understanding of the context and constraints of developing countries in the Pacific region.

Personal Attributes

• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and the capacity to mainstream cross-cutting themes into program activities, including gender equity, violence against women, people with disabilities, child protection, environment and good governance.  
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to contribute to research and monitoring, evaluation and learning activities.  
• High-level interpersonal and collaborative skills combined with ability/experience in working in close and genuine partnerships with stakeholders.  
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and to work in a team, work sensitively in a complex cross-cultural operating environment, nurture productive internal relationships, foster an environment of continuous learning, and work effectively under pressure. 

How to Apply: