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For every child, inspiration

The Skill-Focused Literacy for Out-of-School Adolescents (SKILFO) project was developed jointly by the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE) under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME) and UNICEF, in line with an inter-ministerial decision of the Economic Relations Division (ERD). The project aimed to support out-of-school adolescents aged 14–18 years from marginalized communities in Cox’s Bazar District to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy alongside pre-vocational and transferable skills. The programme was designed to prepare adolescents for further skills training and decent employment opportunities aligned with the evolving labour market.

UNICEF provided technical assistance to BNFE to pilot the SKILFO model through existing government systems and facilities. The initiative aimed to institutionalize the Alternative Learning Programme (ALP), which offers a proven pathway for out-of-school adolescents to access further education, skills development, and employment opportunities. The SKILFO project was successfully completed on 30 June 2025, achieving significant results under the leadership of BNFE with technical support from UNICEF.

A total of 6,805 adolescents (3,938 female and 2,867 male) successfully completed the SKILFO programme and acquired functional literacy, numeracy, pre-vocational and transferable skills that prepare them for technical education or entry into the workforce. Graduates were able to pursue multiple pathways, including further vocational training, apprenticeships, or employment. Among them, 5,319 graduates (2,326 male and 2,993 female) secured job opportunities as co-workers across various trades, while 598 graduates (130 male and 468 female) engaged in apprenticeship-based entrepreneurship. At the completion of the project in June 2025, BNFE assumed responsibility for supporting the remaining 888 graduates in accessing employment or apprenticeship opportunities.

As part of the project, 13 pre-vocational course packages were developed, tested and endorsed under BNFE. These included competency-based curricula, competency frameworks, and assessment criteria aligned with the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF). This process strengthened BNFE’s institutional capacity to deliver structured pre-vocational training for out-of-school adolescents within the national qualifications system. In addition, compliance guidelines were developed for the Non-Formal Education (NFE) Board under BNFE to guide accreditation of institutions, courses, trainers, assessors and assessment centres, and to enable certification of learners completing the 13 pre-vocational courses. A national pool of 54 assessors (39 male and 15 female) was also developed and trained to support competency-based assessment processes.

An independent study conducted by UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti assessed programme implementation, delivery modalities, and apprenticeship pathways of the government-led SKILFO pilot. The study also explored the potential for scaling up the model within the national non-formal education system under BNFE’s leadership. Starting from a baseline where adolescents in Cox’s Bazar host communities had no formal pre-vocational literacy options, the SKILFO programme successfully delivered skills training to 6,825 adolescents, of whom 58 per cent were girls. The programme achieved job linkage rates of 83 per cent for girls and 81 per cent for boys. Findings indicate that more than 82 per cent of SKILFO graduates transitioned into apprenticeships, with particularly high placement rates (88–89 per cent) in enterprise-based and outstation apprenticeship tracks.

The study further revealed significant positive outcomes in terms of graduates’ economic prospects, empowerment and future aspirations. Female participants reported notable improvements across all indicators. More than 75 per cent of graduates perceived improvements in their social connections and community recognition, highlighting the broader impact of the programme on social inclusion, belonging and empowerment. The results strongly support recommendations for scaling up the SKILFO model nationally.

Building on the success of the pilot initiative, BNFE has initiated another skills programme titled Pre-Vocational Stage Efficiency Training for Out-of-School Adolescents, financed through government revenue funds. Under this initiative, training activities are being implemented in 58 sub-districts across 58 districts, providing skills training to 4,640 out-of-school adolescents to facilitate their transition from education to work. National assessment and certification of these graduates through the BNFE Board is essential to support their continued skills development, employment opportunities—both domestically and internationally—and reintegration into formal or non-formal education pathways. In this regard, UNICEF’s technical assistance for the development of an assessment framework, establishment of a national assessor pool, and support for assessment and certification processes through the BNFE Board will be instrumental in strengthening the national assessment system and building institutional capacity within BNFE.

In parallel, BNFE’s flagship initiative, the Alternative Learning Opportunities for Out-of-School Children (ALO), has received approval from the National Economic Council. This three-year project aims to provide literacy and skills development opportunities for approximately 38,000 adolescents across the country. Effective implementation of this initiative will require comprehensive technical assistance in areas such as development of operational frameworks, capacity building of BNFE officials from national to sub-district levels on skills programme implementation, development and upgrading of market-driven trades and skills courses, and establishment and operationalization of a Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) system. Additionally, robust systems for assessment and certification of skills training graduates will be essential to ensure quality and recognition within the national qualifications framework.

Furthermore, UNICEF will provide technical assistance to support the design and expansion of the SKILFO:2.0 project, including technical review and response support for finalization of the project proposal for approval by the National Economic Council. Continued strategic and technical guidance from UNICEF will be critical to support BNFE and the NFE Board in contributing in ALO initiatives and scaling up the SKILFO model in the coming years. These functions align with BNFE’s mandate under the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework.

To support these efforts, the Education Section of UNICEF plans to engage a national consultant for 180 working days over a period of 10 months. The consultant will provide technical expertise in assessment, certification, and accreditation to support the ALO initiatives and scaling up of the SKILFO model in collaboration with the BNFE and the NFE Board. The consultancy will focus on supporting the development and/or upgrading of trade-specific skills training courses aligned with labour market demand, strengthening the capacity of BNFE officials at national and sub-national levels, and enhancing the institutional capacity of the NFE Board to conduct competency-based assessments and certification of skills training graduates. The consultant will also support the operationalization of a national monitoring system that enables continuous and summative assessment, documentation of learners’ records of learning, and tracking of pathways for further skills development and employability in alignment with the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The national consultant will operate under the guidance and general supervision of the Education Specialist (NO-C) and overall guidance from the Education Manager (NO-D). The Consultant will support the development of manuals and packages, accreditation systems, recognition of prior learning (RPL) framework, capacity building activities for training providers, managers, master trainers, assessors for scaling-up of SKILFO within the policy reform work that recognize non-formal pre-vocational skills within the broader national education and skills eco-system.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  ToR _National Consultant for BNFE.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: University degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in education, TVET, Development Studies or related field.
• Work Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in TVET, skills development, NFE and skills programme planning, hands on experience in competency-based curriculum development
• Advanced knowledge of TVET and skills development processes (Essential)
• Familiarity with national stakeholders and networks working with BNQF and under the NFE Act (Essential)
• Experience in technical backstopping of pre-vocational programs under the NFE framework, including programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, strategy setting, guideline development. curriculum and package development, training facilitation and data collection for research (Essential)
• Experience in working and collaboration with government lead agencies, such as, BNFE, BTEB, NSDA
• Internationally certified e.g. TESDA, ASQA in competency-based training and assessment will be an advantage
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English; knowledge of another UN language an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information. Do not pay to submit your application. If there is a charge, then it is not a genuine UNICEF position.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.