Project Associate - Quality Education

Details

Mission and objectives

As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

Context

Tribal Development Department, Government of Maharashtra is the nodal department for overall policy, planning and coordination of programmes for development of Scheduled Tribes (STs). The department has accorded high priority and adopted multifaceted development strategies to promote socio-economic growth of the STs. Specific interventions are being implemented including implementation of protective legislations such as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act. The programmes and schemes for tribal people are intended to support and supplement the efforts, primarily of other state departments to fill critical gaps within institutions and programmes, taking into account the situation of STs. These schemes comprising of economic, educational, and social development through institutional building, are administered by the line departments. Notwithstanding numerous developmental interventions, the STs continue to face developmental deficits with respect to health, education, livelihood, development infrastructure as well as other socio-economic indices, many of which are well below the national average. The Tribal Development Department is committed to providing equitable access to opportunity for the tribal communities, through participatory approach and adoption of innovative methods including e-governance and increasing use of technology to provide strategic inputs into the development process. To accelerate the implementation of the development agenda for the tribal communities and strengthen the institutional delivery systems at the State and district level, it is important to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of the officials and stakeholders to deliver on the issues related to tribal empowerment and create robust systems for monitoring and implementation of the tribal development schemes of the Central and State government. The Department is working in collaboration with UNDP to fast-track development in difficult geographies inhabited by tribal populations, enhancing capacities of government functionaries and expanding opportunities for better livelihoods, health and education to vulnerable tribal communities.

Task description

UNDP proposes to engage a Project Associate - Quality Education to support the PMU at Tribal Development Department, Govt. of Maharashtra to facilitate, supervise and monitor implementation of different programmes under quality education initiatives. The Project Associate - Quality Education will be part of the Project Management Unit and will work under the overall supervision of the PMU State Coordinator and in close collaboration with Programme Lead, Tribal Development, UNDP. S/He will ensure engagement of all direct stakeholders and delivery of project objectives with other team members. • Provide technical support to facilitate, supervise and monitor the implementation of different programmes under the quality education. • Support in implementation of Eklavya Model Residential Schools scheme (monitoring of physical and financial progress) and coordinate with National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) to update status about functioning of existing EMRSs. • Assist in updating information on various portals including EMRS, ADIGRAM, e-Samiksha etc. and support to strengthen the reporting systems and monitoring for assessing the utilization and tracking benefits under Article 275 (1). • Support in maintaining database of projects sanctioned under various sectors & sub-sectors, and status of physical and financial progress and to monitor, supervise data collection and to Coordinate with School & Hostel Monitoring Cell for redressal of grievances at district level. • Provide support in drafting replies of Assembly Questions, Assurances, VIP references, Public Grievances, CMO References, RTI, Annual Plan, Output and Outcome Framework etc. • Support in preparation of knowledge products, including background notes, working papers, briefings documents, presentations, success stories etc. and organizing cross learning events, capacity building workshops etc. • Assess and evaluate emotional, behavioural and learning aspects of students to design educational programmes and design specific programmes for school dropouts to connect them and track their progress. • Provide handholding support to the field functionaries in gap assessment of Schools & Hostels operational under Tribal Development Department. • Any other tasks provided by the supervisor. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work.