We are searching for an experienced INOVASI 3 - Inclusive Education Program Assistance Consultant in North Kalimantan at our Tanjung Selor facility.
Background Of The Project
Indonesia's Vision 2045 sets the goal for Indonesia to transition from a resource-based economy towards an advanced service, technology, and knowledge-based economy by the centenary of its independence (2045). The 2025-2045 National Long Term Development Plan emphasises the urgency of Indonesia's human resource development to fully realise 2045 goals.
Faced however with persistent low student performance that is emblematic of a learning crisis, significant improvement in student learning will be required to reach Indonesia's 2045 goals. Government of Indonesia (GoI) has started an ambitious program of education reforms. Successive education ministers have set out to modernise the education system through reforming the national curriculum and teaching and assessment approaches, to produce citizens with strong foundational skills, open minds, and inclusive values.
Australia is a long-term supporter of the Indonesian basic education sector, with continuous investments supporting education quality improvements for the past two decades, including through the INOVASI program (Phase 1 2016-2020; Phase 2 2020-2023) that focused on supporting acquisition of literacy and numeracy foundational skills in early grades classrooms; exploring local problems and solutions; and generating evidence to inform government policy development and practices.
This third phase of INOVASI (2024-2027) builds upon the existing program's approach and lessons learned and takes the focus on the development of foundational skills through to the end of the primary grades. Phase 3 will engage with priority issues of Australia's development policy: gender equality, effective inclusion of children with a disability, responses to the climate change challenge in education. It will focus on the challenge of policy implementation and the gaps that exist between national policies and practices at district and school levels and use the well attested-success of INOVASI's local problem-based approach to continuously support policy development for effective fit between policy and implementation context.
INOVASI Phase 3 is implemented in 25 districts and cities across Indonesia, in the provinces of West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, North Kalimantan, East Java, West Java, and Maluku. The program also works in Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN)
The Program is managed by Palladium on behalf of the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The Education Office of Bulungan Regency is committed to strengthening the Inclusive Education Program for Disabilities in its area. In 2023, Bulungan Regency, in collaboration with INOVASI, began the process of mapping students with disabilities using the Student Learning Profile (PBS) instrument. Teachers have been trained and assisted to understand and use the instrument, gather important information about the limitations experienced by students, the level of difficulty, and the type of support needed to help them learn better.
From the analysis of the Profil Belajar Siswa (PBS), 255 elementary and junior high school students were identified as having functional barriers with varying levels of difficulty, ranging from mild, moderate, to severe. Children with moderate and severe difficulties require special aids, assistance from special teachers or assistants, and special programs to help them in classroom learning activities. The presence of these 255 students in the classroom shows that Bulungan Regency has implemented the principles of inclusive education. However, the implementation of inclusive education in schools still faces challenges, especially due to the limited competence of teachers in handling students with functional barriers in learning.
In response to these challenges, the Education Office of Bulungan Regency, in collaboration with INOVASI, developed a counseling service by combining chatbot technology and experts or counselors aimed at providing practical support for teachers in facing teaching challenges in inclusive classrooms. The online counseling service based on chatbots developed by the Bulungan Education Office is expected to be an effective solution in addressing the challenges teachers face in teaching students with disabilities. The Bulungan Regency Education Office, with the support of INOVASI, will conduct a trial of the online counseling service. In addition, the Education Office will also develop other teacher competency improvement programs, such as teacher assistance using tiered Inclusive Education Modules. To ensure this service runs effectively, professional personnel with competence in inclusive education are needed.
Purpose Of The Position
Under the direction of Education Coordinator, the consultant will:
- Provide expert support in the trial of online counseling services based on chatbots for inclusive learning.
- Help teachers understand and apply inclusive learning strategies according to students needs and functional barriers.
- Provide solutions and recommendations related to the challenges faced by teachers in managing classrooms and creating an inclusive learning environment.
Duties
- Provide consultation services to teachers via WhatsApp groups regarding inclusive learning practices.
- Coordinate with the Education Office and INOVASI team to ensure the quality of counseling services provided.
- Provide or adapt relevant guidance, materials, and advice in handling students with functional barriers.
- Identify programs and activities for improving teacher competence in inclusive education for disabilities.
- Act as a resource person in teacher competency improvement activities.
- Provide answers to questions and issues raised by teachers in the WhatsApp group.
- Provide practical guidance and solutions in accordance with inclusive education principles.
- Collaborate with the chatbot in the group to provide accurate and timely information.
- Monitor teachers progress in implementing inclusive learning strategies and provide feedback.
- Prepare monthly reports on counseling activities and teachers achievements in this service, including recommendations for the sustainability of the online counseling service.
- Prepare reports on other teacher competency improvement activities.
Duration Of The Contract/Timeline
The contract duration is 12 months from December 2024 to December 2025.
The Activities Will Consist Of
- Online Counseling Service Trial (December 2024 February 2025)
- Teacher Competency Improvement Facilitation (March December 2025)
- Reflective discussion on the use of Tiered Inclusive Modules or other materials
- Resource person for the preparation of teacher competency improvement in inclusive learning
- Other activities in improving teacher competence in inclusive education to be determined later
Qualifications And Experience
INOVASI will assess each application based on the applicant's ability to meet the requirements as specified and overall value for money using the following criteria:
- Minimum academic qualification of a Master's degree (S2) in Educational Psychology, Special Education, or other relevant fields.
- Official license or certification as a psychologist or counselor from an authorized institution.
- Experience working with students with special needs.
- Familiarity with inclusive approaches such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and differentiated instruction.
- Ability to provide emotional and social support to students with various special needs.
- Skilled in empathetic communication, both through digital platforms like WhatsApp and face-to-face.
- Proficiency in various teaching methods suitable for students with functional barriers, both functional and physical.
- Understanding and ability to use technology, especially related to chatbots, to support virtual learning and counseling.
- Strong commitment to fulfilling appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities.
Working with children
Is this position likely to come into contact with children Yes No
Application closes on Wednesday, 4 December 2014 at 23:59 PM, Jakarta Time
Consultants
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Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.
