Education in Conflict

1. Education in Conflict A programmatic response in South Sudan: Save the Children UK 2002 - 2005

2. Context • 20 years of war • Destruction of communities and infrastructure • Population movement / displacement • Over 4 million civilians internally displaced • Plus over 500,000 refugees • Multi-dimensional impact with competition for resources, land rights, access to water, fears of political and religious domination, inter-tribal conflict • Intensified marginalisation • Such as access to basic services and to economic, social and political support

3. Context cont. • Thousands of women and children abducted • Physical and psychological abuse • 2 generations of children have missed out on basic rights • Forced recruitment of children into the armed forces by all factions – GoS, SPLA and militia groups • Schools became targets • Chiefs provided quotas of men. Boys under the age of 18 were often included, being less economically productive • Voluntary enlistment • Children themselves volunteered to join • Lack of parental or community support, scarcity of food, continual displacement, limited or non-existent educational or other alternatives

4. Education Analysis • Less than 30% of 7-14 year old children in school • Only 2% complete primary education • 26% enrolled in primary school are girls • 7% of teachers have received any training • Of this, only 6% are women • Large number of teachers have only ever attained P3 - P5 • Less than 50% of schools have potable water nearby • Less than 33% have access to latrines • 62% have no access to nearby health facilities • 11% of school structures are considered permanent • T & L materials very limited • Few PTAs are formed or operational • Lack of human & institutional capacity to deliver basic education services

5. Save the Children: Strategic Response • Supporting education and child protection initiatives • Reunification of children & support to ex-child combatants, girls & other vulnerable children • Building community networks with children, teachers, elders, local group leaders, other community members • Capacity building • Coordination with government and input into policy and planning • Coordination with other partners • Advocacy

6. Supported Activities and Initiatives • Teacher training • English literacy courses for women • Head teacher and County supervisor workshops • PTA workshops • Teaching & Learning materials for schools • Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) and training • Social Advocacy Teams (SAT) • Care Committees (CP)

7. Teacher Training • Phase training • TOT and support to trainers • Management of situation • Certification and recognition • Advocacy with SoE for endorsement of training • Follow up school visits

8. Supervisors, Head Teachers & PTA Training • Capacity building • Role and responsibilities • Establishment of PTAs • Supervisory and monitoring skills • Materials to undertake duties • Follow up visits and support

9. Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) • ALP • Over age (~ 10 – 25 yrs) • 8 years condensed into 4 • Operational in existing schools • Teacher training • 4 week course • Partnership with SoE • Module development • Training manual development SoE • Wider advocacy

10. Social Advocacy Teams (SAT) & Care Committees (CC) SAT: • Development of advocacy approaches • Access to resources & support, ie. leadership skills, recreational materials • Funds allocated – participation of children • Resulted in more children being aware of their rights, the positive benefits of education and increased enrolment Care Committees: • Training on CP, demobilisation, family tracing, reunification/reintegration • Social support mechanism • Assisted transition of demobilized children & returnees back into communities • Respected community members • Support for children gaining access to education • Monitoring role (markets)

11. T & L materials for schools • Core textbooks – teachers & students • Exercise books, pens, etc. • Basic teaching materials • Emergency boxes – teachers & students

12. Additional Support • Training workshops • WFP & SC supplementary food • Transport • Bedding & light • Support to mothers and babies • Teacher incentives • NFI • Food • Transport • Water and shelter • Basic medical supplies • Attention to context – displacement

13. Coordination with SoE & MoEST • Overall consultation & support when/where possible • Phase teacher training, recognition & certification • ALP textbook & manual development • SAT initiation & development • Support to Education coordination meetings (ERDF) • Capacity building • National & district, school levels • Utilising & building on Sudanese experience / trainers

14. What Worked • Children went to school • ALP as an initial response to demobilisation • Demand for ALP for wider group (incl. girls, out-of-school, IDPs, returnees) • Teacher training avenue • Promotion of CRC and leadership skills • Liaison with military forces

15. Challenges & Questions • Teacher training curriculum, recognition & certification • Payments to teachers • School Curriculum • Monitoring and evaluation • Displacement and staff limitations • ALP • Not as comprehensive as hoped as a reintegration tool for demobilized and other vulnerable children • Preference for children to join ALP and complete in 4 years (parallel system) • Perception in some communities that ALP is inferior • Certification • Limited teaching skills and training • Access into formal system • Quality of education

16. Challenges & Questions cont. • Donors • Coordination, pooled and availability of funding • Agendas and ‘compromise’ • Agencies • Taking note of lessons learned and recommendations • As with donors • Individuals vs Agency (institutionalisation) • Personality drive & mandate • How to support ministries positively, including capacity development in transitional and development stages • UN, NGOs, donors • Coordination & collaboration and building on systems (needs to be considered in an emergency and beyond and be synchronised and aligned!) • Dependency operation and expectations

17. Lessons Learned & the Way Forward • Coordination & communication • Good governance • Capacity building – HR & funds • Humanitarian & development support • Goals, funding, coordination & collaboration, building on systems • Negotiation and diplomacy skills

18. “Before there was no alternative. We had to join the army and fight for liberation” (Santino, Nyadin, 17 yrs) • “A good teacher is one who has been trained, who respects us, is well-behaved in front of children and treats us equally. Someone who advises us and encourages us to continue.” (Peter, L2, 13yrs, Juaibor)