Job Description
Jamaica is one of the thirteen countries worldwide which were selected and will benefit from the first SDG Fund Window on Digital Transformation. The Joint Programme, "Empowering Jamaica’s Future: SDG Joint Programme on Digital Transformation for Education" is a 3-year programme (2024-2027) and will be implemented jointly by UNICEF (lead agency), UNESCO, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It will support the modernization and integration of the Education Management Information System (EMIS) by developing an OPEN-EMIS platform. This platform will enhance data collection, reporting, and utilization, thereby improving education delivery and driving transformative changes through existing digital solutions. The Joint Programme will serve as a catalyst to advance digitalization in the education sector and address several challenges. It will focus on targeting the interconnections among good educational outcomes, data driven decision-making as well as improved food and nutrition security. By leveraging the synergies among key transitions, education, food systems, digital connectivity and social protection the JP aims to unlock a multiplier effect towards the overall impact: A digitally transformed education system, enhancing educational outcomes, teacher engagement and wellbeing and a decrease in malnutrition in primary aged children. Five SDG targets focused on "Zero Hunger" and "Quality Education" are addressed by the JP. UNESCO’s contribution to this Joint Programme focuses on teachers. Teachers are essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) which is about ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030. In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the effective management and engagement of teachers play a pivotal role in ensuring the delivery of high-quality learning experiences. Central to this endeavor is the harnessing of better and timely data to inform the decision-making processes and enhance the support mechanisms for educators. By optimizing teacher deployment, personalizing professional development, and promoting collaboration through data-driven insights, the aim of UNESCO’s component in the Joint Programme is to highlight the transformative potential of leveraging data to empower and uplift the teaching workforce. More specifically, UNESCO will work to enhance data governance and interoperability of digital systems within the Ministry of Education and Youth Jamaica, boosting its ability to utilize real-time data for policymaking and monitoring, thus improving teacher management, engagement, and well-being. This includes: 1. Developing national standards to strengthen governance and institutional framework of the education management information system (EMIS), leading to improved decision-making, transparency, and accountability. 2. Improving the existing data warehouse to streamline data use and enhance data reporting capacities for education stakeholders. 3. Enhancing teacher management through improved human resource digital solutions and tools, addressing the current teacher crisis and promoting equitable deployment and professional development. The Joint Programme (JP) aligns with Jamaica's national development planning and implementation framework, corresponding to government priorities as included in the Medium-Term Socio-economic Policy Framework 2021–2024 under Vision 2030 Jamaica.
