Consultant: SRH Education in School Health Program

• Job Title: Consultant: SRH Education in School Health Program

Important Note:To ensure a smooth application process, applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review the "How to Apply" section. This section provides detailed guidance on the required documents for submission. Please be advised that incomplete applications, including any missing documents, may result in disqualification.

The selected consultant will lead the design and implementation of a diagnostic study to evaluate the integration of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education, including HIV prevention and life skills, in the school curriculum and teacher training frameworks in Sindh, with a particular focus on District Mirpurkhas. Working under the joint oversight of UNESCO Pakistan and the School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), the consultant will provide technical expertise for curriculum and content review, stakeholder engagement, and field-based data collection. The role includes synthesizing findings into actionable recommendations and delivering a validated final report with costed implementation guidance, contributing to education policy reform and SRH programming under the School Health Programme and the UN Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS.

BACKGROUND

The Sindh Education Sector Plan (SESP) 2019–2024 prioritizes the link between health and educational outcomes, particularly among marginalized communities. The plan promotes integrated School Health and Nutrition (SHN) services, including screenings, deworming, vaccinations, micronutrient distribution, and hygiene awareness. It also emphasizes life skills-based health education, including SRH, to ensure inclusive, safe, and gender-sensitive learning environments.

Despite these priorities, there remains limited clarity on the extent of SRH integration in current curricula and teacher training materials. Given the high prevalence of pediatric HIV cases in Mirpurkhas, this study will examine the inclusion, delivery, and effectiveness of SRH-related content. The findings will inform curriculum improvements, training frameworks, and targeted school-based interventions aligned with provincial goals and international standards.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the integration and effectiveness of SRH education within the School Health Programme under the SESP 2019–2024. Specifically, the study aims to:

• Assess how SRH concepts are incorporated into government secondary school curricula, textbooks, and teacher training frameworks at primary and secondary levels.
• Examine the relevance, quality, and delivery of SRH content in relation to the SHP's goals, including promotion of hygiene, nutrition, and mental well-being.
• Identify content gaps, pedagogical limitations, and implementation challenges in current SRH education materials and teacher pre and post induction training curriculum.

SCOPE:The study will be conducted in District Mirpurkhas with the support from UNESCO Pakistan Office under its joint programme with UNAIDS on HIV/ AIDS. The district emerged in 2024 as a major hotspot for pediatric HIV infections, accounting for over 25% of Sindh's child HIV cases. The scope will cover a comprehensive review of how SRH-related topics, particularly HIV prevention, hygiene, safe medical practices, reproductive rights and the issue of stigma and discrimination, are integrated into the formal education system at the primary and secondary levels. The study will include content analysis of textbooks and curriculum documents, as well as an assessment of pre-service and in-service teacher training materials. The study will also assess the readiness and capacity of selected batch of government secondary schools in Mirpurkhas to deliver accurate, age-appropriate, and culturally sensitive SRH education, especially in rural and underserved settings. Field visits, interviews with teachers, education managers, and curriculum developers, along with focus group discussions with students and parents, will help identify institutional barriers and good practices.

Education:

• A master's degree in education, Social Sciences or a related field.

Professional Experience:

• 05 years of experience in education and curriculum research, preferably related to SRH, health education, or HIV/AIDS.
• Demonstrated capacity to conduct fieldwork, stakeholder consultations, and qualitative analysis and social research.

Language Skills:

• Fluency in English and Urdu is required

Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent communication, analytical, report-writing skills and database packages.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Good knowledge and understanding of government functioning.
• Ability to take initiative and establish priorities, with capacity to work efficiently under pressure
• Comfortable with working in a multicultural workplace, ability to work in a team to achieve shared objectives.
• Strong understanding of Sindh educational landscape.