Independent Numeracy Curriculum Specialist - Australia Fiji Education Fiji Program

Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP)

• Short Term Personnel (40 working input days) 
• Remote – home based with travel to Suva, Fiji 
• Open to both National and International Applicants

• Please apply online by submitting a cover letter addressing how you meet the selection criteria of this role and up-to-date comprehensive CV

Program Overview:    

The Fiji Program Support Platform (FPSP or the ‘Platform’) is a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investment that contributes to the delivery of Fiji’s national development priorities, in line with the Australia’s International Development Policy, the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership and the Development Partnership Plan.  

The Platform delivers key bilateral programs, such as health, education, scholarships, social infrastructure, governance, climate and emergency preparedness and response. Platform activities identify and address climate risks, promote climate action, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) across and beyond the sector programs. 

The Platform has three functional Outcomes: 

1. The Platform has delivered its sector program outcomes, including through supporting strategic coherence, planning, partnerships management, data and learning across the portfolio of investments.
2. The Platform has prioritised gender equality, disability-inclusive development, and climate and disaster resilience, in its systems and practices. This includes in how it undertakes sector programming and its engagement with selected Government of Fiji (GoF) agencies.
3. The Platform administers timely and efficient programming that is: value for money; maximises use of local supply chains; and supports good governance, and public diplomacy, effective decision making and risk management.

AFEP Overview:

The Australian Government is supporting Fiji’s education sector through the Australia Fiji Education Program (AFEP, the Program) working with the Ministry of Education (MoE). 

The objective of the AFEP is “to work with the Government of Fiji under the Vuvale Partnership to catalyse quality education delivery for all Fijian children”. 

The changes expected by the end of the five-year program are: 

• EOPO 1: Schools, particularly trial schools, have improved student literacy and numeracy outcomes, supported by enabling policies, plans and data from the Ministry of Education. 
• EOPO 2: Heads of schools and teachers, supported by enabling policies and data from the Ministry of Education, provide a safe, resilient and inclusive learning environment for all students, particularly in trial schools. 

Four intermediate outcomes will provide pathways to meet these end of program outcomes in priority areas, like implementation of the revised literacy and numeracy curriculum in primary and secondary schools, professional development interventions, analysis and improvement of the Fiji Education Management Information System (FEMIS), as well as GEDSI and student wellbeing.  

The funding for the program is approximately AUD45 million over 9 years (5 years, with an option to extend for a further 4 years) and delivered through a range of activities to achieve the program’s objectives. Implementation modalities include technical advice, procurement of technical services and goods, minor works and infrastructure upgrades, capacity building and training support, support to Ministry led initiatives and innovations, and grants to civil society organisations (CSOs). 

Position Summary: 

AFEP is seeking an experienced Numeracy Curriculum Specialist to support an evidence-informed review and critical appraisal of Fiji’s primary numeracy curriculum. The consultant will build targeted TTIs and MoE capability to undertake evidence-informed curriculum review while providing specialist technical advice on primary numeracy curriculum quality and implementation.

The specialist will guide and support selected TTIs to apply an appropriate curriculum review framework (or combination of recognised frameworks) and draw on a broad body of numeracy research to assess how well the curriculum reflects contemporary evidence on early numeracy development, Fiji’s linguistic and cultural context and the realities of classroom implementation. The review is not intended to validate or promote any single instructional model.

The specialist will guide and support selected TTIs to provide options and/or recommendations emerging from the analysis, which will be evidence-based, feasible in Fiji’s context and respectful of existing work and national priorities. 

Key Responsibilities:

The specialist will advise, guide and support a selected TTIs curriculum team to carry-out the following:

Task 1: Curriculum Review and Analysis

• Develop an appropriate curriculum review framework, building upon existing recognised review frameworks, to structure the appraisal of Fiji’s primary numeracy curriculum, ensuring methodology is transparent, evidence-informed and suited to Fiji’s context.
• Review the primary numeracy curriculum (Years 1–4), including syllabi, teacher guides, scope and sequence, instructional expectations, pacing and assessment guidance to determine coherence and developmental and contextual appropriateness.
• Analyse how the curriculum sequences and integrates key components of early numeracy development, including number sense, operations, mental maths, mathematical reasoning, problem solving, measurement, geometry, patterns, data and mathematical language and assess whether the progression supports students’ development in ways that are realistic and appropriate for Fiji’s linguistic, cultural and classroom contexts.
• Consider impact of contextual factors including but not limited to class size, language of instruction, teacher foundational knowledge and skill set, resource availability - particularly the availability and diversity of numeracy teaching and learning materials across a developmental progression, including concrete manipulatives, teaching aids  and broader school-level realities.  
• Examine existing assessment tools and expected learning outcomes vis-à-vis the existing numeracy curriculum within the context of current learning progression and teacher capacity to utilise them
• Review available data such as PILNA, Fiji national assessment data, classroom observation evidence, teacher competency evidence.

Task 2: Evidence-Informed Guidance 

• Draw on a broad base of  mathematics education research and evidence, including studies on foundational numeracy development, mathematics mastery approaches, problem solving and reasoning, formative assessment practices,  multilingual and culturally responsive mathematics education and classroom-based evidence from comparable contexts, to inform the analysis.
• Provide suggestions where appropriate on ways the curriculum could be strengthened to better support numeracy learning and achievement considering Fiji’s multilingual context, teacher capacity, available teaching and learning resources, assessment tools and system level  implementation realities.
• Offer guidance on realistic and context-appropriate approaches to developing foundational  numeracy skills, number sense, mathematical reasoning, problem solving, conceptual understanding,  ensuring they are feasible within Fiji’s instructional environment and support learning progression across the primary years.
• Consider the extent to which the curriculum promotes a coherent progression of mathematical concepts and skills, ensuring that foundational understandings are established before more complex ideas are introduced and that learning builds cumulatively across year levels
• Provide advice on strategies that support equitable numeracy outcomes for all learners, including students learning in multilingual settings, students requiring additional learning support, and those in rural and remote communities. 

Task 3: Teaching Quality, Assessment & System Considerations 

Identify and document existing GEDSI and CDR considerations. Ensure that all outputs: promote equity and inclusion, including gender-responsive approaches; address the needs of diverse and disabled learners, including students in remote and underserved areas; reflect principles of effective teaching and learning under resource constraints; align with evidence-based international best practices in mathematics education; and, incorporate climate disaster resilience (CDR) subject matter and how mathematics supports CDR  

Task 4: Classroom Resourcing 

• Conduct a structured review of curriculum-aligned teaching and learning resources including  mathematics textbooks, teacher guides, teaching aids and manipulatives, assessment tools,  and supplementary materials, assessing their sufficiency, quality, progression, accessibility and alignment with curriculum expectations.  
• Assess whether resources adequately support differentiated instruction and inclusive learning practices, including for students learning in multilingual contexts, students requiring additional support, and learners in rural and remote settings.
• Work with the AFEP team to utilise, and where needed support the collation of, classroom-level inventories and resource audits, noting that these will be primarily undertaken by AFEP staff.
• Identify priority gaps in teaching and learning resources and provide practical recommendations for strengthening the quality, accessibility, and effective use of curriculum-aligned numeracy resources across schools, considering teacher capacity, implementation feasibility and resource availability.   

Task 5: Consultation and Dialogue

• Engage constructively with selected TTIs, MoE curriculum teams, teachers, heads of schools and other stakeholders to validate findings and ensure relevance and practicality of recommendations.
• Facilitate discussions on options without prescribing a single solution, supporting MoE to weigh evidence, feasibility and priorities. 

Task 6: Recommendations

• Support the co-design of evidence-based recommendations and next steps with MoE and selected TTIs.  
• Potential areas for consideration depending on findings, may include but are not limited to the following:

1. enhancing alignment between curriculum intentions and instructional expectations
2. strengthening the coherence and alignment  of  formative and summative assessment approaches
3. strengthening links between the primary mathematics curriculum and  pre-service teacher preparation
4. Identifying priorities for teacher professional development – pre- and in-service 

Key Deliverables:

• #	Deliverable	Description	Indicative days
  1	Inception Brief (2-3 pages)	Outlines proposed approach post or prior to engagement with TTI, subject to advancement of TTI team formation, including:   Options for the curriculum review framework(s) and/or response to the TTI proposed methodology with recommendations where required  School/classroom visit plan and expected activities  analytical lenses and methods.  document/data/key informant requirements.  confirmed workplan and timelines.	5
  2	Curriculum Diagnostic Review (10–12 pages)	Evidence-informed analysis from field work of the curriculum’s strengths, gaps and areas for clarification or refinement based on the agreed framework(s). Includes discussion of contextual factors, system alignment and implications of feasibility. The Review Paper will be co-developed with the TTIO Review team.	18
  3	Options and Recommendations Paper (10 – 15 pages)	Presentation of a set of evidence-based options for MoE and selected TTIs reflecting pathways for curriculum refinement. Clear recommendations, implications for teacher development and requirements relating to materials, guidance, or system supports. The Recommendations Paper will be co-developed with the TTI Review team.	10
  4	Presentation and Validation Session	Support to TTU for a slide deck summarising key findings, options and recommendations; dialogue with MoE/TTI Review team to confirm accuracy, relevance and next steps. Light touch exit presentation and update for AFEP and DFAT.	2
  5	Final report (consolidated)	In collaboration with the TTI Review team, submission of a final consolidated report that integrates the Curriculum Diagnostic Review and an Options & Recommendations Paper. The Final Report will incorporate feedback from MoE, AFEP and other stakeholders following the validation session.	5
  		Total:	40

Key Working Relationships :

The consultant will work under the direction of the AFEP Team Lead or delegate and collaborate with:

• Selected Teacher Training Institutions  School of Education
• MoE Curriculum Advisory Services team
• AFEP technical specialists (Teaching & Learning, MEL, GEDSI)
•  Other stakeholders as identified by MoE or AFEP 

Selection Criteria: 

The Advisor should have the following qualifications/experience

• Advanced degree in mathematics education, curriculum studies or related field
• Experience in primary mathematics curriculum development, review and/or reform
• Experience in teacher education ideally with demonstrable formative maths experience
• Experience carrying out national teacher needs analysis
• Experience in developing country, contexts
• Experience working  within multilingual education environments
• Strong facilitation, consultation, and analytical skills.
• High-level written and verbal communication and ability to produce clear, policy-relevant outputs. 
• Experience in Pacific and/or Small Island contexts and/or comparable education systems (desirable) 

How to Apply: