TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR): Consultancy for the Development of “Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool”

TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR): Consultancy for the Development of “Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool”

Public Designation: Consultant for Development of Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool

Project: Civil Society Empowerment for Accountable Education (CSE)

Project Organization: Karkhana Samuha

Report to: Program Manager

Location: Kathmandu, Nepal

Duration: End of May 2026

Pay Range: Based on concept notes and financial proposal

Application Deadline: April 30, 2025

Background:

Karkhana Samuha is implementing the “Civil Society Empowerment for Accountable Education (CSE) Project”. The project promotes civil society engagement to boost transparency, accountability, and inclusivity within Nepal’s education sector. As part of our engagement with stakeholders at the policy level, we are working towards bringing a diverse group of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and development partners to form an integrated education mechanism system (Learning Collaboratives) to promote transparency and accountability in the National Education Policy and its implementation. We want to collectively strengthen our capacity to advocate for educational policy change and to monitor its implementation. This initiative of Karkhana Samuha, supported by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) through the Education Out Loud (EOL) program, seeks to empower CSOs with the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to advocate for inclusive and innovative education policies.

Project Goal/Impact:

Nepal’s constitution 2015 mandates for local governments to develop and implement local curricula; several municipalities have already initiated this process. However, many local governments still lack the technical capacity, practical tools, and institutional support required to meaningfully embed climate education within local curriculum frameworks. This gap limits schools’ ability to connect teaching and learning with local environmental realities and climate risks. Strengthening this integration is also consistent with Nepal’s education-sector priorities

under the School Education Sector Plan 2022-2032, the National Curriculum Framework’s emphasis on contextualized learning, the National Climate Change Policy 2019’s focus on awareness and capacity development, and SDG 4.7, which calls for learners to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.

The goal of the Development of Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool is to strengthen the capacity of local governments, schools, and educators to meaningfully integrate climate education into local curricula. The tool will offer practical guidance, frameworks, and resources to support the design and implementation of context-specific, inclusive, and action-oriented learning. In doing so, it will help local governments promote climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts from the school level, while equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to respond to local environmental challenges. The tool will also contribute to social accountability in education by encouraging collaboration among local governments, schools, and communities to make education more responsive, participatory, and grounded in local priorities.

Improved transparency and accountability in national education sector policy and implementation, resulting in more equitable, inclusive, and resilient education systems.

Objective of the Assignment:

Overall Objective

To develop Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool to integrate climate education into local curricula in a structured, inclusive, and context responsive manner.

Specific Objectives

• To develop a practical tool that guides local governments and schools in integrating climate education into the local curriculum.
• To strengthen the capacity of local governments and educators to design and implement context-responsive and inclusive climate education.
• To promote collaboration among schools, communities, and local governments so that students build climate awareness, knowledge, and action-oriented skills.

Scope of Work:

The scope of the consultancy services for the Development of Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool involves several key areas ranging from content creation to stakeholder engagement and final production.

1. Content Development and Integration

• Develop action-oriented and contextually relevant content for the Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool.
• Ensure the content is aligned with the National Curriculum Framework.
• Design the content so it can support integration into local curricula across Nepal’s 753 local governments.

2. Design, Translation, and Production

• Create original and culturally relevant illustrations to enhance learning and usability.
• Prepare bilingual versions in English and Nepali through translation and proofreading.
• Develop visually engaging and print-ready layouts for both digital and printable formats.
• Ensure the digital version includes hyperlinks to relevant reference materials within the text.

3. Stakeholder Consultation and Validation

• Lead and facilitate consultation with the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC).
• Organize and facilitate validation workshops with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other relevant stakeholders.
• Incorporate feedback from consultations and validation processes into the final tool.

4. Finalization and Dissemination Support

• Provide technical and coordination support for the dissemination process.
• Finalize the content, design, and layout of the tool.
• Prepare and submit the final print-ready files for publication and dissemination.

Methodology:

The consultancy will adopt a participatory, iterative, and context-responsive approach to ensure the tool is practical, inclusive, and aligned with local needs.

1. Desk Review and Inception

• Review relevant policies and frameworks, including the National Curriculum Framework, local curriculum guidelines, and climate education resources.
• Analyze existing practices of local curriculum implementation in selected local governments.
• Develop an inception plan outlining approach, timeline, and key deliverables.

2. Content Development and Tool Design

• Design the structure and framework of the tool based on identified gaps and needs.
• Develop action-oriented, age-appropriate, and locally adaptable climate education content.
• Integrate Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GESI) perspectives throughout the tool.

3. Stakeholder Consultation

• Engage key stakeholders including the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC), local governments, educators, and CSOs.
• Facilitate consultations to gather inputs, validate relevance, and ensure alignment with policy and practice.

4. Iterative Drafting and Validation

• Prepare draft versions of the tool and refine based on stakeholder feedback.
• Conduct validation workshops to test usability, clarity, and contextual relevance.
• Incorporate feedback to improve content, design, and practicality.

5. Design, Translation, and Finalization

• Develop user-friendly design and layout with culturally relevant illustrations.
• Translate and proofread the tool in English and Nepali.
• Finalize both digital and print-ready versions, including hyperlinks in the digital format.

Key Deliverables:

The consultant will deliver:

• Inception report with methodology, work plan, and timeline.
• Draft Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool with integrated GESI lens.
• Consultation and validation workshops with CDC and relevant stakeholders.
• Final bilingual (English and Nepali) version of the tool with design, layout, and illustrations.
• Final digital and print-ready files, including dissemination support.
• Brief Orientation/Presentation Materials (e.g., PowerPoint slides).

Timelines of the Research:

The assignment is expected to be completed by the end of April 2026.

7. Competencies and Eligibility of the Resource Person

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Education, Climate Change, Environmental Studies, Curriculum Development, or a related field.
• Proven experience in developing curriculum, educational tools, or learning materials, preferably on climate education or other cross-cutting themes.
• Strong understanding of Nepal’s education system, including local curriculum processes and relevant policy frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience working with local governments, schools, CSOs, and other education stakeholders in Nepal.
• Ability to integrate GESI perspectives and produce high-quality content in English and Nepali; for firms, a multidisciplinary team is preferred.

Application Process:

Qualified and Interested candidates/firms should submit the necessary documents as mentioned below to Saraswati@karkhanasamuha.org.np with the subject line: Application for Development of Climate Education in Local Curriculum Tool (Consultant) by April 30, 2026, 5:00 PM. Applications that do not follow these instructions will be disqualified.

1. Application with eligibility statement (one-pager)
2. Research Concept note with financial proposal per day rates for the services
3. Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Deadline: April 30, 2026, 5:00 PM