Job Description

Federal Government of Somalia

Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MOECHE)

Terms of Reference (TOR) for Senior Sign Language Expert (Consultant)

Job title

Senior Sign Language Expert (Consultant)

Location

Mogadishu, Somalia

Reporting to

Director of Inclusive Education at MOECHE.

Duration

60 Days

1.       Background

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MoECHE) is advancing inclusive education as a national priority, in line with the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2022–2026) and the National Transformation Plan (NTP 2025–2029), which emphasize equitable access, participation, and learning outcomes for all children, including children with disabilities. These national frameworks underscore the need to strengthen systems, policies, and practices that ensure no child is excluded from education.

As part of this commitment, MoECHE is prioritizing the development of inclusive education approaches that respond to the specific needs of different groups of learners. Among these, children with hearing impairments face significant barriers to accessing and participating in education, largely due to the absence of a standardized and nationally recognized Somali Sign Language system, as well as limited availability of appropriate teaching and learning resources.

To address this gap, the Ministry is leading the development of a National Somali Sign Language (SSL) Framework, aimed at establishing a standardized system for communication, instruction, and learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners. This includes the development of a unified lexicon, linguistic structures, and guidance materials to support consistent use across schools and communities.

This initiative is further supported through the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), under the Girls’ Education Accelerator (GEA), which contributes to strengthening inclusive education systems by addressing barriers to participation and learning for marginalized groups, including children with disabilities. Through this support, the Ministry seeks to enhance institutional capacity, improve service delivery, and ensure that inclusive education interventions are effectively implemented across all Federal Member States (FMS) and the Banadir Regional Administration (BRA).

The development of a standardized Somali Sign Language system is therefore a critical step towards operationalizing inclusive education, enabling meaningful participation of children with hearing impairments, and ensuring that education systems are responsive, equitable, and accessible to all learners.

2.       Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical leadership and expertise in the development of a standardized Somali Sign Language (SSL) system, including the design, validation, and documentation of a national framework, lexicon, and supporting materials.

The assignment will support the establishment of a linguistically sound, contextually relevant, and nationally recognized Somali Sign Language system that facilitates effective communication, teaching, and learning for children with hearing impairments.

The consultant will ensure that the SSL framework and associated materials are aligned with national education priorities, reflect the Somali linguistic and cultural context, and are suitable for application within the education system, including use by teachers, interpreters, and relevant stakeholders.

3.       Scope

The scope of this assignment includes technical review and situational analysis, engagement with technical working group (TWG) and development of Somali sign language framework and lexicon. The assignment also encompasses stakeholder consultation, document validation, in addition to documentation and reporting, development of Somali sign language training manual as well as training and capacity building.

3.1 Technical Review and Situational Analysis

·         Identify and collect existing Somali Sign Language materials from government, NGOs, schools, and communities

·         Develop a structured repository of available resources

·         Map materials by source, geographic origin, and usage context

·         Conduct a comparative linguistic analysis of signs, vocabulary, and structures

·         Identify commonalities, variations, and critical gaps

3.2 Engagement with Technical Working Group (TWG)

·         Provide technical input to the SSL Technical Working Group

·         Facilitate and participate in technical workshops

·         Support the development and agreement on standardization principles and criteria

·         Ensure alignment with national education priorities and inclusive education frameworks

3.3 Development of Somali Sign Language Framework and Lexicon

·         Define the structure, domains, and categories of Somali Sign Language

·         Develop a standardized lexicon, including core vocabulary and thematic expansions

·         Harmonize regional variations into a unified system

·         Develop a draft Somali Sign Language Framework and Guidance Document

3.4 Stakeholder Consultation

·         Design and facilitate consultations with key stakeholders, including:

·         Deaf communities

·         Teachers and interpreters

·         Government and education stakeholders

·         Document and analyse feedback to inform refinement of the framework

3.5 Validation and Finalization

·         Revise the framework and lexicon based on stakeholder inputs

·         Support and participate in national validation workshops

·         Finalize the Somali Sign Language Framework and Guidance Document

3.6 Documentation and Reporting

·         Prepare a comprehensive technical report detailing:

·         Methodology

·         Analytical findings

·         Key decisions and justifications

·         Recommendations for implementation and scale-up

3.7 Development of Somali Sign Language Training Manual

·         Develop a structured Somali Sign Language system, including:

·         Grammar and syntax foundations

·         Usage guidelines

·         Produce a comprehensive SSL manual with clear explanations, illustrations, and practical examples

3.8 Training and Capacity Building

·         Design training modules for teachers, interpreters, and relevant stakeholders

·         Develop supporting educational materials, including:

·         Digital content for wider accessibility

·         Support initial capacity-building sessions where required

4.       Deliverables:

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

·         Repository of existing SSL materials

·         Mapped database of resources

·         Technical analysis report

·         Draft vocabulary list

·         SSL framework outline

·         Draft and revised SSL

·         Standardized national sign list

·         Draft and final Somali Sign Language Guidance Document

·         Stakeholder consultation dataset and report

·         Final validated SSL framework and lexicon

·         Comprehensive technical report

·         Structured Somali Sign Language dictionary (including grammar and syntax)

·         Training program and modules (digital resources)

Experiences and Qualifications

·         Advanced degree in Linguistics, Sign Language Studies, Deaf Studies, or related field.

·         Over 6 years in sign language development, lexicon standardization, and linguistic analysis

·         Proven experience working with deaf communities and inclusive education programs

·         Strong understanding of Somali culture, and socio-linguistic context.

·         Fluent in Somali language; both speaking, writing and reading

·         Experience in developing technical frameworks, guidance documents, and manuals

·         Proven capacity to facilitate technical workshops and stakeholder consultations

·         Experience in training design and capacity building

·         Strong analytical, communication, and report-writing skills

5.       Duration and Duty Station.

The consultancy will be conducted over a period of two (2) months, from mid-April to mid-June 2026. The duty station will be Mogadishu, Somalia, with possible travel to Federal Member States as needed.

Skills Required

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