INOVASI 3 - Lead Researcher for Study on The Role of Senior Teachers

INOVASI 3 - Lead Researcher for Study on The Role of Senior Teachers

Background of The Project:

Australiais 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 -; Phase 2 -) 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.

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).

This third phase of INOVASI (-) 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. The program is built on five key intermediate outcomes: inclusive curriculum and assessment, inclusive teaching practices, inclusive educational leadership, gender equality, and climate change resilience. Among these five outcomes, inclusive leadership and gender equality are central elements of INOVASI's commitment to equity and systemic transformation, highlighting the education sector's crucial role in internalizing these values and serving as a platform for promoting inclusive and equitable practices broadly. Efforts to promote inclusive leadership however, facing challenges at policy, system, and practices, both at national and district level. Data and studies consistently show that Gender norms and biases continue to shape perceptions and practices within school leadership. All the existing evidence suggests systemic biases in selection processes and highlights how social, political and cultural barriers have been hindering career advancement of female teachers. Furthermore, since March , Guru Penggerak Program, the merit-based system for principal recruitment under the previous administration has been removed, and it has compromised the enabling environment for equitable progression to leadership roles for females

Acknowledging the social and cultural barriers, as well as changes in government policy, INOVASI revisited its strategy in promoting women’s leadership within the education sector. One of the important first steps are to broaden the scope of leadership, to not only restricted to the role of school principals and supervisors. While school leadership roles, especially on the managerial aspect, are mostly assigned to school principal and supervisor, practices at school level have identified the crucial role of experienced teachers to assist leaders and other teachers, both in pedagogy and managerial tasks. Learning from the experience in INOVASI program implementation at school level, it is acknowledged that senior teachers have crucial role in coordination and management of learning material, as well as in providing direction and mentorship for other teachers, which to some extent can be considered as managerial function in school leadership. Considering the high proportion of female teachers, it can be assumed that many senior teacher roles are also carried out by female teachers. The evidence capturing how this role and task undertaken by female senior teachers, however, is still limited. Given this circumstance, it is important for INOVASI to build the evidence as a basis for its intervention to promote women in leadership through this channel. Therefore, INOVASI will conduct a qualitative study capturing the role of senior teacher, in relation to school leadership. This study will also elaborate the potential leadership roles outside the school principal and supervisor, in relation to career advancement for female teachers.

The purpose of this study will be in line with the interest of the latest government policy related to the implementation of the new framework for functional position of teachers/ Jabatan Fungsional Guru in Indonesia. The new regulation issued by the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB)/ PermenPANRB No. 21/ establishes the new framework, integrating several previously separate functional positions, including School Supervisors, Pamong Belajar, Penilik, and Teachers into a unified Jabatan Fungsional Guru. While this regulation aimed to improve efficiency and professionalism in education management, it has been reported that both the socialization and implementation of this new regulation are weak. This study will try to capture to what extent teachers and school management have been informed on this new policy, and how far it has been implemented. In relation to women in education leadership issue, the study result is expected to inform the effort to identify other critical leadership roles at school, how these roles contribute to wider pool for appointment of leaders at school, that will lead to an increase in the number of female leaders.

Purpose of the Position:
Under the direction of Gender and Child Protection lead, the Lead Researcher consultant will lead the work on designing and conducting the study titled The roles of Senior Teachers (Guru Utama) in relation to school leadership and career advancement for female teachers. The consultant will also develop the policy brief document and contribute to the development of policy advocacy plan based on the result of the study. In doing this task, the consultant will coordinate with Gender and Child Protection team, Adviser, other relevant working unit in INOVASI team, and government counterparts.

Duties: Under the direction of Gender and Child Protection Lead, the Lead Researcher consultant for study on the roles of senior teachers will:

• Lead the development of detailed study plan: Translate the technical Terms of Reference (TOR) into a detailed study plan, including the development of frameworks, analytical plans, interview and workshop instruments based on key study questions, and a comprehensive implementation plan, under the supervision and guidance of the Gender and Child Protection Team.
• Lead and manage study preparation: Oversee the preparation process for the study, including the collection of primary data in the provinces and management of necessary study permissions.
• Lead and manage data collection, management, and analysis: Execute the processes of data collection, management, and analysis, collaborating closely with the INOVASI team
• Daily study management: Handle the daily management and execution of the study
• Lead and manage the study team during the implementation of the study in all phases of the study
• Coordinate with INOVASI stakeholders: Engage with relevant INOVASI stakeholders, including partner ministries, agencies, and local government officials during each phase of the study to gather information, insight and feedback, and ensure adherence to the implementation schedule
• Deliver Study Outputs: Produce the study outputs in accordance with the TOR (Research proposal, report, and policy brief).
• Assist in Results Dissemination: Contribute to the process of disseminating the study results, including to present the study result.
• Lead the development of policy brief and contribute to the development of policy advocacy plan to promote issues related to the study (Acknowledgement of senior teachers, women in leadership).
• Undertake any additional tasks, consistent with the consultant’s expertise, as may be requested by the Gender and Child Protection Team to support program objectives.

Other Duties

• Comply with DFAT, Palladium and INOVASI policies on gender, disability, fraud and anticorruption, child protection & safeguarding
• Ensure compliance and adherence to various operational policies, guidelines and manuals issued by Palladium and INOVASI
• Proactively identify and report risks and manage risks within consultant’s level of accountability

Duration of the contract/Timeline:
The duration of the contract is twelve months with maximum 70 of billable workdays, with a possible of extension subject to satisfactory performance assessment.

Qualifications and Experience:
The Lead Researcher consultant for study on the roles of senior teachers will possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Doctorate or master degree in relevant field in Education, Gender Studies, Early Childhood Education or other related field
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in conducting research in education field, particularly related to issue of teacher qualifications & recruitment system, framework of functional position of teachers, school leadership appointment & recruitment
• Have the understanding and experience working on issues related to women in leadership, gender inequality in education sector in Indonesia
• Proven experience and understanding in leading and conducting qualitative research project in education sector, proficiency in qualitative research methodologies and data analysis tools
• Have the experience working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, particularly with education ecosystem stakeholders at national and district level

Working with children
Is this position likely to come into contact with children? Yes No

Application closes on 1 October at 23:59 Jakarta Time.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Women are encouraged to apply.

INOVASI has zero tolerance for child abuse and exploitation. All successful candidates will be required to adhere to our Child Protection Policy and will be subject to background checks as a condition of employment.