EDUCATION Field Guidelines February 2003 Geneva Table of Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................. iii UNHCR Education Policy Commitments................................................................. v Policy Statement 1: Education for All ............................................................. 1 1.1 The Right to Education......................................................................... 3 1.2 Promoting Education for All ................................................................. 4 1.3 Promoting Girls’ Education, Gender Equity and Sensitivity................. 5 1.4 Support for the Education of Vulnerable Groups................................. 7 Policy Statement 2: Basic Education................................................................ 9 2.1 Curriculum for Refugee Schools........................................................... 10 2.2 Teachers and Teacher Training ............................................................. 11 2.3 Organisational Support......................................................................... 12 2.4 Resource Allocation.............................................................................. 16 2.5 Education and Training in the Host Country ........................................ 16 Policy Statement 3: Primary and Pre-school Education ............................... 19 3.1 Access to Primary Education ................................................................ 21 3.2 Community Based Child Care and/or Pre-schools............................... 22 3.3 Addressing Poverty issues .................................................................... 23 Policy Statement 4: Lower Secondary, Secondary and Tertiary Education............................................................................................................... 25 4.1 Access to Secondary Education ........................................................... 27 4.2 Access to Tertiary Education................................................................. 27 Policy Statement 5: Non-Formal Education including Technical Education and Vocational Training.................................................................... 29 5.1 Non-Formal Education and Related Activities ..................................... 31 5.2 Technical Education and Vocational Training ....................................... 32 Policy Statement 6: Quality Education............................................................ 35 6.1 Promoting Quality and Attainment in the Refugee Classroom............ 37 6.2 Material Resources................................................................................ 37 i Policy Statement 7: Life Skills and Values Education ................................... 39 7.1 Life Skills ............................................................................................... 41 7.2 Health Education (including HIV/AIDS) ................................................ 41 7.3 Landmine and UXO Safety................................................................... 42 7.4 Peace Education .................................................................................. 42 7.5 Environmental Education...................................................................... 43 Policy Statement 8: Early Intervention ........................................................... 45 8.1 Meeting Protection and Psychosocial needs........................................ 47 8.2 Rapid Educational Response ................................................................ 47 Policy Statement 9: Inter-Agency Co-ordination and Partnerships ............ 49 9.1 Inter-agency Co-operation.................................................................... 51 Policy Statement 10: Monitoring and Evaluation.......................................... 53 10.1 Programme Impact and Improvement ............................................... 55 10.2 Monitoring of Programme Quality, Impact and Improvement........... 55 Glossary................................................................................................................... 59 Annex 1: International Declarations and Instruments Defining Education as a Basic Right ..................................................................... 61 Annex 2: Education Scenarios................................................................................ 65 Annex 3: Education Sector Sample Objectives Outputs and Indicators ............... 67 Annex 4: Standards For UNHCR-Funded Schools................................................. 73 Associated Materials ............................................................................................... 77 ii Foreword Education is a basic human right. For refugees it is a key to sustainable protection and the hope for a better future. Refugee parents and children consider education of paramount importance. UNHCR must give education a very high priority at all levels of its operations. This UNHCR Education: Field Guidelines is the result of extensive consultations involving field offices, and replaces the 1995 Education Guidelines. This document elaborates UNHCR’s continuing commitment and efforts to improve education assistance to refugees and other persons of concern. The publication of this document is particularly significant in the light of the Millennium Development Goals and the Dakar Framework for Action on Education for All. UNHCR is committed to contributing to the fulfillment of the goals of the world community. The document includes UNHCR’s Education Policy and Commitments. This provides managers, programme and technical staff as well as partners, guidance in the management of refugee education programmes and in ensuring that access, quality and equity in education are improved. The Field Guidelines translates policy into practical and operational terms, to help field staff and implementing partners to take concrete actions on a range of education issues. The Guidelines also highlights the critical role that education plays in support to other sectoral objectives. This guidance tool was developed to promote the universal application of standards in the education sector, and a harmonized approach to a wide range of refugee education needs. Refugee situations vary from one context to another. However, there are imperatives and prerequisites for success which are common to all situations in addressing challenges responsibly and creatively. These include a sense of shared responsibility, demonstrated through team work amongst field staff of various disciplines, and strong partnerships with Government institutions as well as inter and non- governmental entities. The Division of Operational Support, in particular the Health and Community Development Section, stands ready to support initiatives towards this end. The Education: Field Guidelines is intended to be an operational tool. In 2005, we plan to evaluate the usefulness and impact of this tool. Therefore, we urge you to use the document conscientiously and share with us your feedback on efforts to apply the policy and guidelines. A feedback slip is enclosed which you are requested to complete and return to the Senior Education Officer, HCDS, DOS, UNHCR Geneva (or by email to [email protected]). I wish to thank all those who made the publication of this valuable document possible. Marjon Kamara, Director Division of Operational Support UNHCR iii UNHCR Education Policy Commitments UNHCR advocates for education as a basic right in the context of 1951 Refugee Convention and all other international declarations and instruments (see Annex 1). The Agenda For Protection, and the subsequent Action Plan approved by the Executive Committee in October 2002, specifically underline the importance of “education as a tool for prot e c t i o n ” . UNHCR is committed to the key principles of refugee participation, local capacity building, gender equity and addressing the specific needs of groups at risk. In implementing education programmes, UNHCR will: 1. Safeguard the right of refugees to education and implement the six goals of Education For All (EFA) which include free access to primary education, equitable access to appropriate learning for youth and adults, adult literacy, gender equity and quality education. 2. Ensure the provision of basic education, for refugees and other persons of concern, to ensure their protection and security and to enhance the possibility of durable solutions. 3. Guarantee the availability of primary education (standardised as the first eight grades of schooling) as a first priority, including community based initiatives providing early childhood and pre-school education, where these are pre- requisites for formal education. 4. Support the provision of lower secondary education (standardised as grades 9 and 10). In addition, UNHCR will support the enrolment and retention of achieving students in higher secondary (grades 11 and 12) as a prerequisite to post-secondary education. Moreover, UNHCR will advocate for tertiary education and will support the effective use of resources donated for this purpose. 5. Provide low-cost adolescent and adult non-formal education linked to the psychosocial development and specific education needs of the groups. Where appropriate, this will include technical and vocational education. 6. Promote quality of education as a high priority commitment through teacher training and the development of quality teaching and learning materials.