UNHCR recently released its Education Strategy for 2012-2016 and promises a greater focus upon education in its areas of work. Below are the main points of the strategy, along with discussion of the positives and drawbacks of its approach.
Key points
Action 1: More children will learn better in primary school - linked to objective 1: Improve learning achievement for refugee children in primary school
Action 2: Schools will protect children and young people - to achieve objective 2: Ensure that schools are safe learning environments for refugee children and youth
Action 3: More young people will go to secondary school - to achieve objective 3: Improve access to formal secondary opportunities for refugee youth
Action 4: More youth will follow HE courses - linked to objective 4: Improve access to HE opportunities for refugee youth
Action 5: Education will be available at every age - to achieve objective 5: Ensure opportunities for education are lifelong and available to all according to need
Action 6: Education will be part of all emergency responses - linked to objective 6: Provide education as early as possible during an emergency
Priority countries from 2012-2013: Bangladesh, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Yemen
Positives and negatives
+ Focus upon post-primary education including HE
+ Recognising the importance of education in all emergency responses
+ Proposed capacity development of UNHCR staff to manage education programmes (UNHCR staff at present are not trained in this area)
- Objective 6 reproduces the discourse of implementing education programmes according to their current state as opposed to improving/adapting them
- All of the actions are dependent upon receiving adequate funding
- Rationale for priority countries is not publicly available (apart from the brief description in the strategy itself, which is not context-specific)
- The use of partnerships for implementing the proposed actions is not something new (at present, UNHCR rely upon education development organisations to implement education programmes)
- Although promising, none of the proposed measures are new - they have all been heard before with seemingly little impact
The development of this strategy is undoubtedly welcome. In fact some might argue it's long overdue. It seems time will tell if it is mere rhetoric or is likely to bring about significant positive impact upon the quality of education received by refugees in different contexts. I for one am going to be keeping a close eye on the outcomes - I'll do my best to keep you all posted.
The development of this strategy is undoubtedly welcome. In fact some might argue it's long overdue. It seems time will tell if it is mere rhetoric or is likely to bring about significant positive impact upon the quality of education received by refugees in different contexts. I for one am going to be keeping a close eye on the outcomes - I'll do my best to keep you all posted.
Would be great to hear your initial reactions/comments/thoughts on the strategy - you can post your comments in the box below.