Preschool Education Programme Support Assistant

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress. UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a "first call for children" and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families. UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children – victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation, and those with disabilities. UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. In coordination with United Nations partners and humanitarian agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide their care. UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority. UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social and economic development of their communities. UNICEF works with all its partners towards the attainment of the sustainable human development goals adopted by the world community and the realization of the vision of peace and social progress enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

In recent years, significant developments have taken place in the ECCD & ECE sector in Sri Lanka. Some of the major milestones include the cabinet's approval of the ECCD Action Plan, the drafting of the ECE policy, the launch of the National Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework (ECECF), and the appointment of a new ECE director, along with the establishment of a dedicated unit at the Ministry of Education. To ensure implementation of these policies and to improve the quality and streamline the ECCD/ECE sector, much work is needed. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development (NSECD) have sought technical and financial support from UNICEF. This support is primarily aimed at implementing the ECE Curriculum Framework, conducting a preschool census, supporting the implementation of the ECCD Action Plan, and finalizing and executing the ECE policy. Under Sri Lanka's new education reforms, the preschool curriculum must be implemented by 2027. Therefore, there is an urgent need to finalise all related resources and begin final teacher training in 2026 to prepare approximately 35,000 preschool workforce. All of these initiatives require strong administrative and logistical support to ensure the smooth organisation of workshops, training sessions, consultations, and related events with national and sub-national stakeholders. To assist with these efforts in ECCD/ECE, UNICEF is seeking a national UN Volunteer Specialist. Under the guidance of the Education Officer, the UN Volunteer will work closely with key government partners, including the Ministry of Education, the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Care and Development (NSECD), the National Institute of Education (NIE), and Provincial Preschool Units, to facilitate the implementation of activities related to ECCD/ECE, particularly in supporting all administrative and logistical tasks.

Under the overall guidance of the UNICEF Sri Lanka Chief of Education, the UNV will work with the Education Officer on the following key tasks related to ECCD/ECE 1. Support ECCD/ECE Programme Coordination and Implementation a. Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of ECCD/ECE programs. b. Track progress of supported programs and ensure timely delivery of outputs. c. Support the government and other stakeholders to facilitate the smooth implementation of ECCD/ECE activities. 2. Support the finalization and printing of ECCD/ECE Guidebooks & resource materials. a. Support the education section in the printing of ECCD/ECE materials, including logistics, quality assurance and monitoring of timelines. 3. Supply Management Support and Vendor Coordination a. Work closely with the supply team in ordering preschool supplies and reviewing samples in coordination with relevant technical teams b. Coordinate with the Education Section, Supply Team, and suppliers to support timely procurement, assembling, dispatch, and delivery of teaching and learning materials c. Maintain accurate supply records, including tracking delivery status and distribution lists. d. Maintain supply-related documentation/master files, to ensure transparency and accountability. 4. Administrative and Logistical Support for ECCD/ECE Programmes a. Provide administrative, logistical, and coordination support for ECCD/ECE workshops, consultations, training sessions, and awareness-raising events at national and subnational levels. b. Support preparation of event materials, participation lists, travel arrangements, and venue coordination related to programme activities. c. Assist in documenting programme activities, including meeting notes, attendance records, and basic data required for planning and reporting. d. Support preparation and dissemination of meeting agendas, materials, minutes, action points, and other documentation to ensure timely follow-up and information flow amongpartners. e. Assist with stakeholder communication, helping partners access key resources, guidelines, and operational information. f. Travelling to provinces for participation in the workshop, if the need arises. 5. Additional Support to the Education Section a. Provide support to any other tasks assigned by the Education Section, based on evolving priorities, workload, or emerging needs when required. b. Participate in regular education team meetings and events c. Identify innovative individual projects/activities based on personal interests to contribute to sections work