Education Innovation and Reform During and After Conflict
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International Institute for Educational Planning Opportunities for change Education innovation and reform during and after conflict Edited by Susan Nicolai Education in emergencies and reconstruction Opportunities for change Education innovation and reform during and after confl ict Opportunities for change Education innovation and reform during and after confl ict Edited by Susan Nicolai International Institute for Educational Planning The views and opinions expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of UNESCO or IIEP. The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this review do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO or IIEP concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. Published jointly by: International Institute for Educational Planning 7-9 rue Eugène Delacroix, 75116 Paris, France [email protected] www.iiep.unesco.org Cover design: IIEP Cover photo: Dan Alder/Save the Children/Colombia Typesetting: Linéale Production Printed in IIEP’s printshop ISBN: 978-92-803-1328-4 © UNESCO 2009 Acknowledgements A great number of individuals have been indispensible in the development of this publication. Not least among these are the ten case study authors whose research and writing form the core of this volume. Vital to delivery was the research partnership that commissioned this publication. Special thanks go to Chris Talbot, Cynthia Cohen, Lyndsay Bird, Leonora MacEwen and Lorraine Daniel of the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP); Mario Novelli of the Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies (AMIDSt) of the University of Amsterdam; Joris von Bommel of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA); and Rebecca Winthrop and Nina Weisenhorn of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). In addition, Jackie Kirk, who was concurrently working on a publication regarding certifi cation, played an important role in this volume’s development prior to her untimely death in Afghanistan. Participants in a January 2008 seminar in Paris also made signifi cant contributions to the content and conclusions of the overview and several chapters. A special thanks goes to Margaret Sinclair, who provided invaluable comments and editing support at several stages of the writing process. Finally, the fi eld-based individuals and organizations who hosted authors deserve credit both for their generosity of time and information. Perhaps more than this, they deserve applause for their daily dedication to the cause of education. It is because of these unsung heroes that opportunities for positive education change are regularly found during and after confl ict. 5 Foreword to the series UNESCO is increasingly being requested to provide an educational response in emergency and reconstruction settings. The organization is in the process of developing expertise in this fi eld in order to be able to provide prompt and relevant assistance. It will offer guidance, practical tools and specifi c training for education policymakers, offi cials and planners. The fi fth of the 11 objectives adopted by the Dakar World Education Forum in 2000 explicitly focuses on the rights of children in emergencies. The Dakar Framework for Action (World Education Forum, 2000) calls for national Education for All plans to include provision for education in emergency situations. Governments, particularly education ministries, have an important role to play in an area that has often been dominated by the actions of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and United Nations (UN) agencies. The fi eld of education planning in emergencies and reconstruction is still young. It must be developed through further documentation and analysis. Accumulated institutional memories and knowledge in governments, agencies and NGOs on education in emergencies are in danger of being lost due to the dispersion of documents and to high staff turnover in both national and international contexts. Most of the expertise is currently in the heads of practitioners and needs to be collected while memories are fresh. Diverse experiences of educational reconstruction must be more thoroughly documented and analysed before they disappear from memory. This task includes the publication in this series of country-specifi c analyses of the planning and management of education in emergencies and reconstruction. They concern efforts to restore and transform education systems in countries and territories as diverse as Pakistan, Burundi, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Kosovo, Timor- Leste and Rwanda. This series has been initiated and sponsored by IIEP in close collaboration with colleagues in other UNESCO offi ces. The objectives of the case studies are: • to contribute to the process of developing knowledge in the fi eld of education in emergencies and reconstruction; 7 Foreword to the series • to provide focused input for IIEP training programmes for government offi cials and others in education in emergencies and reconstruction; • to identify and collect documentation on the management of education in various countries; • to capture some of the undocumented experiences of practitioners; • to analyse the responses in different situations to education provision in times of crisis; • to increase the dissemination of information and analysis of education in emergencies and reconstruction. IIEP’s larger programme on education in emergencies and reconstruction embraces not only these case studies but also a series of global, thematic and policy-related studies. In addition, IIEP has published the Guidebook for planning education in emergencies and reconstruction for ministry of education offi cials and the agencies assisting them, and is developing training materials for a similar audience. Through this programme, IIEP will make a modest but signifi cant contribution to the fi eld of education in emergencies and reconstruction. Its hope is to enrich the quality of the planning processes applied. Mark Bray Director, IIEP 8 Foreword by donor Throughout the world, people continue to suffer under political instability, endemic violence and forced migration. Women and children – who form the majority of displaced people – feel the far-reaching effects on their safety, health, nutrition and education. Millions of children have experienced the violent disruption of families and community structures. Yet crisis can also be a breeding ground for social change. And education, although often severely affected itself, is an important agent of change. Incorporating well-planned educational programmes into emergency relief efforts enables the long-term benefi ts for societies in crisis. Education has proved to be a major contributor to lasting solutions, enhancing the successful reintegration of internally displaced persons and refugees. Education is a key factor in restoring normalcy and can be a fi rst peace dividend in post-confl ict societies. Hence, a research partnership has been formed to develop knowledge on two specifi c issues: • certifi cation of the learning attainments of refugee and internally displaced pupils, and • opportunities for change within the education sector in confl ict and post-confl ict situations. The partnership is unique and brings together the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the University of Amsterdam’s Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies (AMIDSt) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This alliance not only strengthens the partners themselves, but also reinforces the strategies used to achieve common goals for education in emergencies and post-crisis situations. The purpose of this partnership is to contribute to the Education for All goals through research on education in emergency situations, aiming at the development of knowledge on specifi c interventions, strategies and methodologies that can be used to improve access to quality education for all. This dovetails perfectly with the IS Academy on Quality Education, a fi ve-year joint initiative between the University of Amsterdam and 9 Foreword by donor the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This initiative seeks to improve interaction between policy-makers, practitioners and academics working in the area of education, development and quality. This publication Opportunities for change: education innovation and reform during and after confl ict explores opportunities for transforming education during periods of confl ict and recovery. It is at these times that prospects of transforming both education systems and other sectors are promising. Seizing opportunities within education systems can bring about positive change and thus improve both access to and the quality of education. Moreover, educational interventions in emergencies and post-confl ict countries should not simply be an end in themselves, but the fi rst step in a continuous process that will get countries back on the path to development. Considerable progress has been made in making external aid to developing countries more effi cient and more effective. Support to fragile states and countries in crisis and post-crisis situations must also benefi t from this new focus and these new standards of coherence. However, in fragile states, country ownership and leadership, alignment with national priorities and harmonization of donor processes pose an