Education

Education is one of the human rights of mankind. Situations of mass displacement frequently result in severe curtailment of the right to education for children and youth, threatening individual lives and the possibilities for resolution of the crisis.

Rapid provision of access to education is a priority emergency response in order to:

 

• save lives,
• protect children and youth,
• prepare populations to cope with displacement and the situation they find themselves in, and
  enhance self-reliance and opportunities to reach durable solutions to displacement.

Principles

MISE education activities are conducted in accordance with the principles that:

• Children and youth should be protected from abduction or recruitment into armed forces, crime, sexual exploitation, and exploitative labour. Learning environments should be secured, to protect the well-being of learners.
• MISEprioritizes the most vulnerable among displaced populations, such as vulnerable children and youth, minority or indigenous groups, children associated with fighting forces, young mothers, children with disabilities, and persons with needs not being met by the formal education system. MISE works to ensure that access to emergency educational opportunities is equitable and offered in such a way as to include those with special needs
• Local communities should be involved in the development of education programmes, enhancing local ownership and supporting the enrolment and retention of learners
• Boys and girls have equal opportunities to access quality education, and neither sex should be discriminated against. Male and female teachers should have equal access to training and support and teaching faculties should be balanced.
• Youth are an important segment of the displaced population with critical significance for the future of their communities and societies and should be engaged as a positive resource.

 

Scope

MISE’s education programmes target children and youth who face particular education needs related to their displacement.
In order to benefit displaced children and youth, MISE may assist other groups such as parents and guardians, teachers or children and youth in host communities.

Education authorities may be supported as a means to fulfill the education rights of the target group.
MISE’s education programmes respond to education needs in all phases of crisis and emergency. Whereas some activities might be the same regardless of phase, focus may also change from phase to phase:
Acute Emergencies: 
MISE will actively promote education as one of the core components within humanitarian response, highlighting education as a means of protection and enabling recovery. MISE will respond rapidly to displacement related emergency education needs through:

• The establishment of basic teaching and learning activities
• The creation of safe spaces for children and youth, including provision of recreational and psychosocial activities
• Chronic or Protracted Crisis:
• MISE will address gaps in education provision for displaced children and youth. Focus will be on access, quality and protection and reintegration into formal education and/or achieving basic levels of education.

Activities include:

MISE will address gaps in education provision for displaced children and youth. Focus will be on access, quality and protection and reintegration into formal education and/or achieving basic levels of education. Activities include:

 

• Alternative education programmes
• Basic skills training
• Support to formal education
• Capacity building initiatives of teachers and authorities as part of the achievement of durable solutions

MISE also seeks to support youth through protection from recruitment, life skills and vocational training/employment opportunities and inclusion in consultation and decision making processes.

Early Recovery/Durable Solutions: 

To promote access to quality education during the transitional phase, MISE will contribute to strengthen and support education stakeholders and/or authorities’ capacities to meet education needs and sustain basic schooling. Activities include:

 

• Facilitation of re-entry into schools
• Alternative education programmes
• Capacity building of stakeholders

MISE also seeks to support a positive role for youth in reconstruction through life skills and vocational training/employment opportunities and inclusion in community governance processes.

Approach

MISE adheres to the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Minimum Standards for Education: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery in all education programme development, implementation and evaluation.

MISE supports the development of equitable and sustainable “formal” education services for displaced persons. Where such inclusion is not possible in the immediate term, MISE will respond to the needs of vulnerable persons by adopting non-formal approaches with the ultimate aim of re-establishing a link between learners and formal education systems. MISE involvement in education activities should be based on thorough assessments and holistic analyses of the factors keeping children and youth out of school.
The categories “children” and “youth” overlap and so many of the issues and activities overlap. Nevertheless, approaches designed to assist children and youth differ in important ways and can be broadly described:

For children

MISE will provide (based on needs in each specific context):

• catch-up classes to help children (re-)enter ordinary schools
• alternative paths (e.g. accelerated programmes) to complete primary school
• material and non-material support to allow children to access and complete formal or non-formal schooling
• recreational activities and psycho-social support

For youth

MISE will provide (based on the needs in each specific context):

• basic literacy and numeracy
• life skills training
• basic practical/vocational skills training (to promote access to livelihoods)
• recreational activities and psycho-social support
• basic micro-enterprise skills training
• business startup investment
• material and non-material support needed to be able to access and complete formal or non-formal schooling (this may include support to youth accessing secondary school, although MISE will not run ordinary secondary schools).
• Inclusion in community representation, consultation and decision making processes to ensure the needs of Youth are heard and responded to.

When assisting other groups (such as parents and guardians, teachers or children and youth in host communities) MISE will provide (based on the needs in each specific context):

• Teacher training
• Training/capacity building/sensitization of communities, parents/guardians
• Pre-school children as a part of care taking of children of parents involved in MISE youth programs.
• Capacity building of authoritiesand school administrations will only be conducted as a means to an end to assist displaced persons

Objectives for MISE’s education activities will vary, but follow a basic approach of:

• Provide safe learning environments and psycho-social support
• Curriculum should be chosen on the basis of addressing the needs of the learners
• Provide recognizedcertificates for completed programs enabling learners to document their achievements, continue schooling or enhance their job opportunities
• Promote school feeding and/or cash/ vouchers as a tool for improved enrolment, retention, and performance
• Work in partnerships with different stakeholders to enhance implementation and foster sustainability