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Refugee education programs in Guinea: 1991-2005

Certification of the learning attainments of refugee and internally displaced students: IRC experience in West Africa. Refugee education programs in Guinea: 1991-2005. Large scale programs for Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees Primary & Secondary education

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Refugee education programs in Guinea: 1991-2005

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  1. Certification of the learning attainments of refugee and internally displaced students:IRC experience in West Africa

  2. Refugee education programs in Guinea: 1991-2005 • Large scale programs for Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees • Primary & Secondary education • Additional activities – social clubs etc • Average annual program budget (1991-2005): $1.2m • Average refugee student pop (1991-2005): 50 410 • Large scale teacher ed, support and development • Teacher training • Classroom support and supervision • Classroom assistants

  3. 1991: • Harmonized curriculum + teacher training + grades conversion chart • Discussions with MoE & WAEC in Liberia and S L; Liberia more successful than Sierra Leone. 1992-1998: • WAEC Liberia exams in Guinea at Grade 9 & 12; (5051 students (2258 G9; 2793 G12)) • Resistance from SL; Sts sit Liberian WAEC, but repeat final years & re-sit WAEC SL. 1998: • Dialogue with MoEs (SL & Liberia) on teacher certification. MoE Liberia agrees, MoE SL not 1999-2003: • Charles Taylor reneges on WAEC Liberia in Guinea. IRC grad certificates unrecognized • Conflict in Liberia, but teacher training continues March 2002: • Teacher training for SL teachers with S L distance ed modules, and S L teacher educators. Repatriating teachers complete the remaining modules for certification. Programme suspended 2004 • With MoE Guinea support, MoE Lib WAEC exams in 2004 &5 (Grads: 1166 in 04, 2261 in 05). • MoE S L allows private student registration for returnees • Renegotiation with MoE Liberia on teacher ed. 2005 • MoU with MoE Liberia for ‘C’ certification of teachers in Guinea • 472 Liberian teachers graduate, in presence of Minister of Education of Liberia.

  4. Key Issues • Language, ethnicity and identity • Anglophone refugees in Guinea (francophone) and Sierra Leone (anglophone) • Government policies and capacities: • Separate negotiations with MoEs and WAEC • Student certification approved in Liberia –then reneged • Challenges with Sierra Leonean authorities • Length of displacement: informal -> increasing formality • Fees, family finances and access

  5. Facilitation of cross-border examinations for IDP and refugees students

  6. Facilitation of host country school access and examinations for refugees students

  7. West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) • Established 1952 with MoEs Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria, Sierra-Leone, Gambia • Liberia joined in 1974. • Original ordinances replaced with WAEC Convention as international organization • No mandate or policies for refugee certification

  8. Cross border exam facilitation • WAEC responded to 1991 request to create exam centres in refugee schools in Guinea • Initially working through MoE Liberia. • Challenges: • Political challenges, delicate balance between national politics and regional collab • Government of Sierra Leone not supporting WAEC; policy to promote refugee return • Practical challenges: security exam papers, financial constraints to travel and cross-border exam facilitation. • Legitimacy of refugee learning questioned

  9. 1991: • Harmonized curriculum + teacher training + grades conversion chart • Discussions with MoE & WAEC in Liberia and S L; Liberia more successful than Sierra Leone. 1992-1998: • WAEC Liberia exams in Guinea at Grade 9 & 12; (5051 students (2258 G9; 2793 G12)) • Resistance from SL; Sts sit Liberian WAEC, but repeat final years & re-sit WAEC SL. 1998: • Dialogue with MoEs (SL & Liberia) on teacher certification. MoE Liberia agrees, MoE SL not 1999-2003: • Charles Taylor reneges on WAEC Liberia in Guinea. IRC grad certificates unrecognized • Conflict in Liberia, but teacher training continues March 2002: • Teacher training for SL teachers with S L distance ed modules, and S L teacher educators. Repatriating teachers complete the remaining modules for certification. Programme suspended 2004 • With MoE Guinea support, MoE Lib WAEC exams in 2004 &5 (Grads: 1166 in 04, 2261 in 05). • MoE S L allows private student registration for returnees • Renegotiation with MoE Liberia on teacher ed. 2005 • MoU with MoE Liberia for ‘C’ certification of teachers in Guinea • 472 Liberian teachers graduate, in presence of Minister of Education of Liberia.

  10. ‘Transferable’ host community certification • WAEC and MoE Sierra Leone certification for Liberian children in host community schools. • Students registered in host schools. IRC paid exam fees • WAEC Liberia validates certificates for higher education • SL WAEC exams respected over Liberian exams, so no validation/ recognition issues for returnees to schools • WAEC Ghana exams for Liberian students in Ghana • WAEC Ghana exams highly regarded and no validation/ recognition issues for returnees

  11. Opportunities for some who missed out • WAEC Sierra Leone certification possibilities for those who missed out (graduates 1999-2003) • Registration as private candidates to sit for exams • No pre-requisites required • But time and economic challenges: • Exam fees (approximately 102 000 Leones per student • 1 school year for continuous assessment

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