Local Expert on Inclusive & Special Needs Education (SNE) International Position

1. Introduction:
Finn Church Aid (FCA) is Finland’s largest international aid organisation, with more than 70 years of experience working in fragile contexts to advance human dignity and ensure access to quality education for all. FCA prioritises Inclusive Education, Special Needs Education, Disability Inclusion, and Psychosocial Support (PSS), helping schools to identify and respond to learners’ diverse needs through effective pedagogy, appropriate accommodations, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and strengthened collaboration between schools and families.

2. Objective of the Assignment:

1. Strengthen school capacity to identify and support learners with learning difficulties/disabilities.
2. Build competencies of elementary teachers, principals, counsellors, and resource room staff.
3. Support continuity of diagnosed students transitioning into secondary education.
4. Enhance parents’ awareness, influence, and constructive participation.

The consultancy is expected to contribute to the following key results:

• Improved teacher capacity to apply inclusive teaching, differentiation, and simple, practical progress-tracking strategies.
• Enhanced quality and use of IEPs ( Individualized Education Plan), ensuring that goals, accommodations, and follow-up procedures are consistently applied across schools.
• Improved diagnostic and screening pathways, resulting in more reliable identification of learning difficulties.
• Strengthened transition processes for students moving from elementary to secondary education.
• More informed, engaged parents who understand learning needs and support home–school collaboration.
• Better-aligned school systems where principals, counsellors, and teachers coordinate to ensure sustained and appropriate interventions.

3. Scope of Work and coverage:

• Number of schools:4 private schools 3 of them including the Latin Patriarchate Partner schools
• Geographic distribution: Ramallah city and Ramallah District
• Estimated beneficiaries:
– Primary teachers in general, with emphasis on Arabic and Math, given that the SNE support focuses mainly on students with learning difficulties in these two core subjects
– Approximately 4 school counsellors
– Parents of newly diagnosed or supported students
– Students: 20 to be diagnosed, in addition to others expected to be identified through screening and assessment

3.1: Diagnostic & Screening Support
• Guide and quality‑assure school‑led screening and referral processes.
• Conduct or supervise diagnostic assessments and produce individual reports.
• Translate assessment insights into IEP goals, accommodations, and monitoring plans.

3.2: Teacher Capacity Building

• Strengthen elementary teachers’ skills in inclusive teaching, differentiation, and tracking students’ progress in practical and easy‑to‑use ways.
• Provide clear and practical guidance for Arabic and Math teachers, using classroom‑ready tools that help them adapt lessons and support different learning needs.
• Support secondary teachers by sharing student information and suggested accommodations, helping them welcome and teach students who are moving up from elementary grades.

3.3: Counsellors

• Deliver advanced training for school counsellors on learning difficulties and disabilities.
• Emphasize accurate, consistent case documentation that supports effective follow‑up.
• Strengthen counsellors’ capacity for ethical, non‑stigmatizing communication with students and families.
• Equip counsellors to identify early indicators of learning challenges and apply appropriate support strategies.
• Build counsellors’ skills to collaborate closely with teachers and principals to ensure aligned, sustainable interventions.

3.4: Supervision & IEP Monitoring
• Facilitate IEP creation, review, and follow-up cycles.
• Conduct monthly on-site supervision per school:
– up to 4 hours focused on teachers/principals
– up to 3 hours focused on counsellors/parents
• Provide feedback, coaching, and documentation support.

3.5: Parents’ Awareness & Influencing
• Deliver modular awareness sessions for parents.
• Create supportive materials (guidance notes and home strategies).

3.6 :Tools, Manuals & Localization
• Review and adapt FCA templates, IEP forms, checklists, and screening tools.
• Produce practical job-aids tailored to the school context.

3.7 :Collaboration & Coordination
• Coordinate regularly with the FCA OPT Education Focal Point.
• Engage principals, counsellors, and teachers in implementing inclusive routines.
• Collaborate with Teachers Without Borders (TwB) to exchange Finnish and Palestinian perspectives on inclusive education.
• Participate in scheduled coordination meetings monthly or, when needed, weekly to support shared learning and harmonised approaches.

4. Deliverables

Deliverable

Timeline

Inception Note outlining approach and tool plan

Within first 2 weeks

Diagnostic reports for assessed students

Within 1 week of each assessment

Training packages for teachers & counsellors

By end of Month 1; updated as needed

Parents’ awareness materials

Within first 6 weeks

Localized tools and job aids

Throughout; compiled by Month 4

Coordination summaries including TwB exchanges

Monthly

Monthly supervision notes

Submitted by the 5th of each month

Final technical note summarising results, challenges & recommendations

Within 1 week of contract end

5. Level of Effort
• Monthly supervision per school (up to 7 hours total).
• Diagnostics and reporting based on caseload.
• Preparation, delivery, and follow-up of training and awareness sessions.
• Review and production of tools and materials.

6. Management & Reporting
• Regular communication and reporting to the FCA OPT Education Focal Point.
• Submission of monthly summaries and a final report.

7. Safeguarding & Ethics
• Full compliance with FCA’s Child Safeguarding Policy and data protection standards.
• Respectful, dignified, and non‑stigmatizing engagement with students and families.

8. Required Qualifications
• Advanced degree in Special Needs Education, Inclusive Education, Educational Psychology, or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in SNE/LD, teacher training, supervision, and diagnostics.
• Experience working with both elementary and secondary school environments.
• Strong documentation, reporting, and communication skills.
• Fluency in Arabic; English an asset.

9. Evaluation Criteria
• Technical approach (30%)
• Relevant experience (30%)
• Work plan and LoE explanation (20%)
• Financial offer (20%)

How to apply

Qualified candidates are invited to send the following: –

• Technical Proposal
• Financial Proposal
• CV including relevant past experience

procurements.joco@kirkonulkomaanapu.fi

Applications with incomplete documents will not be considered.

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