NRC Education Strategy 2015-17

LEARNING IN EMERGENCIES

Increasing access to quality education for displaced children and youth.

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STRATEGY FOR THE 1 MILLION INITIATIVESTRATEGY FOR THE 1 MILLION INITIATIVE3 | | 4

NRC has made an organisation-wide commitment to significantly scale up our education programmes. By 2017 we aim to reach

one million displaced children and youth annually with quality education through our programmes.

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Education is a fundamental human right, enshrined in a wide range of in-ternationally recognised conventions and declarations. Yet, millions of chil-dren and youth living amidst conflict and crisis are consistently denied the right to learn, to develop and to feel safe. Of the 58 million out-of-school children of primary school age, half live in countries affected by conflict. As the world faces a global learning crisis, young people are being denied their right to a brighter future. For the young in conflict-affected coun-tries their schools and teachers are increasingly under attack and threat, transforming places of learning into battlegrounds. Despite increased recognition and awareness of the right to education in times of conflict over the last decade, the international community and na-tional governments are failing to meet the education needs of conflict-af-fected children and youth. Recent evidence shows that girls and boys, their families and communities clearly identify education as a priority in times of conflict. Education is valued for many reasons, for it provides pro-tection, stability, essential knowledge and life-enabling skills. Communities recognise that when education is in-terrupted, and not promptly resumed, many children, particularly girls, might not go back to school at all.

Still, too often the humanitarian com-munity continues to treat education as a secondary concern in times of conflict and crisis. Education compo-nents in humanitarian appeals remain consistently underfunded. Globally, education receives the lowest share of required humanitarian funding of all sectors.

As a result of this lack of prioritisa-tion, millions of young people have been denied their right to achieve their full potential and have remained trapped in situations of conflict, dis-

crimination and poverty. The interna-tional community has failed to meet promises set out in the Millennium Development Goals and Education for All, that by 2015 all children should be in school. The Incheon Declaration for Education 2030 endorsed in May 2015 recognises conflict and displacement as major barriers to education. It calls for special efforts to meet the education needs of children and youth affect-ed by conflict and crisis, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, in the 2030 education agenda.

Addressing the many challenges of access, quality and equity requires in-novative ways of working. Therefore, NRC has embarked on an ambitious new education initiative which aims to contribute to close the education gap for millions of children and youth, who due to conflict and crisis have been denied their right to education.

Before I came to school I had the spirit of an assassin because of what they did to me. But here I have start-ed to become like a normal person again. The taste of study made me want to be like before. I am so happy to be here – being in school has en-abled me to get over that time in the militia by developing knowledge.

15 year-old displaced boy, Democrat-ic Republic of Congo.1

THE NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL – A LEADER IN PROVIDING EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES

NRC is a leading actor in Education in Emergencies (EiE) via its field programmes, advocacy and deploy-ment of experts. NRC’s education programmes target children and youth who face particular education needs related to their displacement

during all phases of emergency and crisis. Conflict-sensitive education programmes support children and youth to exercise their right to a quality education and to acquire skills and knowledge, to enable a better life for themselves and their societies, as well as contributing to peace and stability. In emergency and crisis situations, quality education provides physical, psychosocial and cognitive protection. This can be both life-sustaining and life-saving.

NRC’s education programmes directly benefit around 250,000 children and youth annually in many of the world’s most conflict-affected regions. Thousands of teachers and education authorities are also direct beneficiaries of NRC’s education programmes. NRC adopts a range of approaches, from provision of non-formal education opportunities to building the capacity of education authorities. NRC employs a holistic approach by complementing edu-cation activities with assistance to construct schools, improve in-school water and sanitation facilities, provide ID cards, distribute school supplies and train teachers.

Advocacy is an important com-plementary component of NRC’s programmatic education response. NRC works to influence policies and practices that strengthen access to rights, protection and assistance for the displaced and vulnerable.Through its expert deployment roster NRC deploys education profession-als to the UN, regional organisations and national governments. Key recip-ients of deployment support are core education- mandated entities – such as the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the UN Children´s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and education ministries – as well as the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

NRC’S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION

In response to the massive numbers of children and youth who have had their education interrupted or who have never been to school because of conflict and crises, NRC has made an organisation-wide commitment to significantly scale up its education programmes in 2015-2017.

By the end of 2017 NRC aims to reach one million children and youth annually with quality education through our programmes. All NRC’s country, regional and representation offices, as well as all departments at head office, will contribute to this initiative by:

THE “1 MILLION - LEARNING IN EMERGENCIES” INITIATIVE

• direct delivery of services by NRC staff

• provision of services via local partners

• deployment of NORCAP experts to support relevant UN agency policy and programming

• deployment of NORCAP capacity development experts to support national education ministries

• influencing education policy and practice

This holistic delivery model will help ensure that NRC´s education-relat-ed initiatives complement those of national and international actors and that interventions are better coordi-nated.

While the organising principle of the initiative is a quantitative bench-mark, it is important to put this in a wider context. For the initiative also seeks to provide an opportunity to

create a more coherent and holistic organisational response to education challenges and to showcase the diverse ways in which different parts of NRC work towards promoting du-rable solutions for displaced children and youth.

With the goal of reaching a sig-nificant higher number of direct education beneficiaries, the scale-up model for the initiative seeks to expand current approaches and to introduce innovation. Technology-en-abled innovation and partnerships are paramount, as is expanding NRC’s capacity to innovate, generate resources and improve organisational capacity.

RIGHTS RESPECTED PEOPLE PROTECTED NRC works to protect the rights of displaced and vulnerable persons dur-ing crises. Through our programmes, we provide assistance to meet im-mediate humanitarian needs, prevent further displacement and contribute to durable solutions.

NRC’s Strategy for Global Advocacy (SGA) 2015-2017 reflects the organ-isation’s ambition to be a courageous, visible and proactive advocate for policies and practices that truly ben-efit the most vulnerable. The SGA fea-tures a special focus on the inclusion of education as a crucial component of emergency response and on the protection of education facilities from military attacks, violence, occupation by armed combatants, sexual exploita-tion and other forms of abuse.

ADVOCACYThrough its expert deployment rosters, NRC strengthens the capacity of the international community to prevent and respond to humanitarian chal-lenges through the provision of expert personnel to national stakeholders and international organisations.

NORCAP is NRC’s largest roster consisting of 700 experts from Nor-way, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Those we deploy have a wide range of qualifications and expertise, including in EiE provision.

EXPERT DEPLOYMENT - NORCAP

1. NRC and Save the Children 2014, Hear it from the children: why education in emergencies is critic al. A study in the role of education for conflict-affected communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia.

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The programme will operate in:

• all conflict-affected countries with an existing NRC programme

• countries in which NORCAP deploys experts

• all new countries/regions in which NRC is not currently operational but which may require future support

The primary target groups are displaced and conflict-affected school-age children (6-18) and youth (15-24), with a special focus on those who are out of school.

Refugees and IDPs are NRC´s prima-ry target groups. NRC prioritises the most vulnerable and the hardest-to-reach children and youth who might be further marginalised by crises. Depending on the context, this may involve support for members of mi-nority or indigenous groups, children associated with armed forces, young mothers and children with disabilities.

NRC particularly emphasises promot-ing equal education opportunities for girls and boys, recognising that girls are disproportionally under-represent-ed in the education system in most of the countries where NRC operates.Our secondary target group are teachers. To solve the learning crisis, teachers should be well trained, motivated, adequately rewarded and supported by well-managed education systems.

NRC will support education authori-ties and education personnel, parents and local communities.

GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE

TARGET GROUPS

VISION All displaced and conflict-affected children and youth enjoy their right to education in emergencies and crisis situations.

OVERALL GOAL Increased equitable access to quality educa-tion and learning for conflict-affected children and youth in all phases of emergencies.

TARGETReaching one million children and youth annually with goods and services of significant educational value by 2017.

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1. EDUCATION IN ACUTE EMERGENCIESChildren who are experiencing acute emergencies may well have been witness to violence and will have endured unimaginable disruption, hardship and turmoil. In these periods local governments are often unable or unwilling to respond to humani-tarian needs and communities have limited capacity. A rapid education response that is flexible and adapt-able to the context, and includes both recreational and academic activities, can enhance children’s protection, promote their psychosocial well-being and support academic perfor-mance of learners.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVEChildren and youth participate in rec-reational and education opportunities as soon as possible during an emer-gency and crisis situation, pending restoration of normal schooling.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES1. children participate in learning and

recreational activities as soon as possible during an emergency and crisis situation.

2. education infrastructure and supplies are provided in safe and protective environments.

3. strengthened capacity of teachers and other education personnel to provide EiE according to the Minimum Standards of the In-ter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE).2

2.CONTINUITY OF EDUCATION IN DISPLACEMENTMost conflicts last at least a decade, with affected populations being dis-placed for prolonged periods. Hence, there is a need for a longer term and more strategic approach to support-

ing education in such protracted contexts. It is critical to build more inclusive, responsive and resilient ed-ucation systems to meet the needs of children and youth. Strengthening the capacity of communities, families and learners is also critical. Following the first-phase response, it is paramount to ensure continuity of education to enable children to complete primary school, enrol in alternative education programmes (such as accelerated education) and to enable those who complete courses to evidence this with appropriate and accredited certi-fication. Improving learning outcomes (reading ability and attainment in mathematics) to achieve national standards is also crucial.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVEChildren and youth have access to quality accredited education from the onset of an emergency through to recovery.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES1. children and youth have access to

flexible, age-appropriate alternative education programmes.

2. children and youth are offered chances to re-enter formal school-ing at appropriate grade levels, as well as accredited non-formal opportunities.

3. children and youth obtain certifi-cation of achievements equivalent to those provided by national authorities.

4. enhanced teacher management and strengthened professional development of teachers leading to formal qualifications.

3. YOUTH EDUCATION, TRAIN-ING AND EMPOWERMENTDuring crises and displacement education and training play a key role

in creating an environment where all young people can develop a sense of purpose, identity and belonging, gain livelihood skills and become actors for peace and stability. Yet, all too often, even where education is available in emergencies, most programmes target younger prima-ry-aged children. There is insufficient investment in the developmental and protection rights and needs of youth. Displaced and conflict-affect-ed youth should be provided with tailored programmes including formal and non-formal basic education and vocational and technical skills. Pro-grammes should focus on ensuring employability and the development of key cross-cutting work and life skills.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVEYouth have increased access to ed-ucation and training opportunities to enhance protection, self-reliance and socio-economic participation in their communities.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES1. youth have increased access to

formal and non-formal education and learning opportunities includ-ing post-primary, secondary and tertiary education.

2. youth have acquired market-orient-ed skills for enhanced economic opportunities and increased self-reliance.

3. youth have a stronger voice and actively participate in democratic, peacebuilding and development processes in their communities.

4. SAFE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTSConflict has devastating impacts on education systems, including educa-tion quality. Schools should promote the protection and well-being of

STRATEGIC RESPONSE AREAS

learners and enhance their ability to learn and develop their full potential. Teachers must be equipped with the right skills and knowledge to create a supportive learning environment and to address the psychosocial needs of the students. Schools should be free from any school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). Education institutions should be protected from attacks and military use, as indicated in the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universi-ties from Military Use during Armed

Conflict.3 NRC will build resilience by emphasising school-based disaster risk reduction as a means to equip children, teachers, parents and communities (including school-based committees) to reduce vulnerabilities and manage risk.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVESchools and learning sites are safe and inclusive environments that pro-mote the protection and well-being of learners and ensure their ability to learn and develop their full potential.

EXPECTED OUTCOMESSchools and other learning sites should:1. be safe and inclusive environ-

ments, providing for the psychoso-cial needs of learners

2. be SRGBV-free and promote gen-der equality and girls’ education

3. provide lifesaving messages 4. be inclusive, accessible and safe

for all learners5. be free from military attacks, vio-

lence and military use

To focus our education response, we have chosen four strategic response areas in which NRC has long-term expertise and there are possibilities to scale-up: education in acute emergencies; continuity of education in displacement; youth education and empowerment and safe and inclusive learning environments.

Girls are disproportionately affect-ed by conflict and the majority of countries with large gender gaps in education are experiencing conflict and displacement. Education can play a critical role in promoting gender equality. NRC will take positive actions to seek to ensure girls and boys enjoy equal access to schooling, participation in education, good learn-ing outcomes and post-education opportunities.

GENDER EQUALITY

YOUNG PEOPLE IN EMERGENCIES

Youth are critically important to the future of their communities. NRC has particular expertise in engaging youth as a positive resource in emergencies and crises. NRC programmes aim to enhance protection of youth and their resilience by providing them with access to education and training, live-lihood and economic empowerment and opportunities for civic participa-tion and leadership.

2. See: http://www.ineesite.org/en/minimum-standards 3. See: http://www.protectingeducation.org/guidelines

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1. INFLUENCING EDUCATION POLICY AND PRACTICE Displaced children and youth expe-rience many barriers which prevent them from accessing education or benefitting fully from education that is relevant for their needs. NRC will advocate for national, regional and global ways to address these barriers through policies and practice to improve the lives of children and their families. NRC’s advocacy reflects its operational experience from country programmes and UN deployments.

At the global level, NRC will advo-cate for increased attention to the specific learning needs of children and youth affected by conflict and recommend appropriate program-matic responses. We will emphasise the need for policies and practices to allow out-of-school children and youth to benefit fully from educa-tion. NRC is committed to making sure that schools are safe, free from gender-based violence, attacks and military use. As part of this advoca-cy we will continue to promote the Safe Schools Declaration4 and the Guidelines for Protecting School and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict. NRC will continue to advocate for increased prioritisation and funding of education in emergen-cies, reflecting displaced popula-tions’ own priorities.

Within its country programmes at the national and regional level, NRC’s advocacy will reflect operational priorities and its commitment to improving access to education within each humanitarian response. NRC will strive to ensure that national education laws and policies guaran-tee the right to education in times of crisis and that they fully reflect the needs of displaced and conflict-af-fected children and youth.

NRC is committed to research and evaluation as a basis to support poli-cy dialogue and inform programming. The immediate and long-term bene-fits of education for development are well-documented. However, there is need for a deeper understanding about education in emergencies and crises. There is a lack of evidence demonstrating which interventions are most effective in different con-texts. Monitoring and evaluation of NRC’s own programmes will provide a better understanding of the impact of its education approaches and enable the identification of innovative approaches. NRC will use its moni-toring data, evaluations and targeted studies to support internal analysis of NRC’s experience and goals for programme development, while ad-dressing knowledge gaps across the wider EiE sector. Evidence generated across countries and regions will provide valuable learning for use in our global and national advocacy.

NRC is committed to international cooperation to promote the right to education and uses its programme experience to contribute to in-ter-agency and multilateral education forums and initiatives that bring together policy-makers, donors, EiE practitioners and researchers. NRC will use its evidence base to promote policy change, including through membership of the INEE Steering Group, the Global Campaign for Education and the Global Education Cluster Working Group.

SAMPLE INTERVENTION AREAS• policy briefs and thematic reports• case studies and stories from

children in NRC programmes• programme reports and les-

sons-learnt documents• internal reviews• legal analysis on the right to edu-

cation and safe schools• independent evaluations• convening expert meetings /

roundtable events

2. INNOVATIONInnovation comes in many forms: technological, social and peda-gogical. Innovation in all its forms is needed to address crisis-related education challenges.

Since technological solutions can address many of the education chal-lenges that occur in times of crisis, NRC will use cutting-edge informa-tion and communication technology in education programming. Innovation in education can lead to increased access, inclusion and improved learn-ing outcomes as well as enhancing scale and value for money (VfM).

However, NRC challenges the as-sumption that innovation is simply a matter of introducing new technology. We intend to explore beneficiary-led, context-appropriate innovation prac-tices, in which children and youth are given the chance to create their own solutions to challenges they face in emergencies and crisies. NRC will adopt a solution-seeking pilot-based approach and will seek cooperation with like-minded partners, public insti-tutions and private sector enterpris-es, as well as social innovators with recognised expertise and resources.

NRC foresees innovation in three main areas:

1. technology enabled — encour-aging EiE actors to use ICT and learn how to benefit from the data revolution

2. digital cash and transfers — ad-dressing root causes of education exclusion

3. teaching and learning — intro-

ducing innovative practices and approaches to the field of EiE

SAMPLE INTERVENTION AREAS• mainstreaming ICT in training

programmes and introducing ICT devices in schools, for example tablets for game-based learning (numeracy, literacy and languages)

• delivery of instruction and learn-ing materials via audio and video platforms

• ICT literacy and ICT-centred skills development (youth programmes)

• digital cash and vouchers – includ-ing exploring ICT-based transfer modalities – such as mobile phones and Squid cards

• introduce ICT devices for needs assessments undertaken by the education cluster and other local coordination networks

3. CAPACITY DEVELOPMENTNRC sees capacity development as a locally-driven process of transfor-mation that leads to actions that sup-port changes in institutional capacity to advance development goals. In all capacity development interventions, NRC will:

1. secure national ownership through on-going discussion, contextual analysis and support to country-owned and country led development

2. coordinate with other actors to avoid overlap of support

3. ensure that experts deployed have sufficient high-level experience of promoting capacity development in addition to technical expertise

The main target groups for capacity development actions are:

1. education authorities —primarily through country programmes and expert deployments

2. strategic deployments to the Unit-ed Nations system

3. civil society and communities — including community based organisations (CBOs), non-gov-ernmental organisations (NGOs), universities, teachers’ unions or other relevant partners

SAMPLE INTERVENTION AREAS• national education authorities • school management committees

(SMCs) and parent-teacher asso-ciations (PTAs)

• student councils• education clusters • civil society actors (including

CBOs, NGOs, universities and networks)

4. PARTNERSHIPSNRC recognises the vital importance of partnerships to contribute to results via service delivery, advocacy, evidence generation and creation of innovation. Within the framework of this initiative, NRC will seek specif-ic partnership initiatives at global, regional and country levels. Main partners will include:

1. the United Nations system2. international NGOs, alliances,

coalitions and networks – includ-ing the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE), the Global Coalition to Protect Ed-ucation from Attack (GCPEA), the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the Inter-Agency Stand-ing Committee (IASC) Education Cluster and the Global Campaign for Education (GCE)

3. donors4. in-country partners — both from the

state and civil society5. private sector actors — in Norway

and beyond

SAMPLE INTERVENTION AREAS• strategic partnerships with the

private sector (with a special focus on ICT-focused enterprises)

• partnerships with national, state

and local education authorities • strategic partnerships with UN

agencies (education programme delivery)

• memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with regional organisations such as the African Union

• alliances with INGOs• partnerships with community

level actors such as CBOs, youth groups and women´s groups

• framework agreements with donors

5. CROSS-SECTORIAL SYNERGIES AND INTEGRATION NRC intends to draw on its mul-ti-sectoral expertise to address some of the root causes of education exclusion by proposing holistic and integrated responses whenever ap-plicable. NRC will promote synergies across programme areas (NRC core competences): Shelter, Food Secu-rity, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Information Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA) and Camp Management. Other NRC programme areas: Pro-tection, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Urban settings, Cash and Vouchers and Environment.

SAMPLE INTERVENTION AREAS• improved and sustainable WASH

facilities in schools • provision of civil documentation for

education access• security of tenure for single-mother

headed households and impact on children’s education

• education for those displaced to urban areas

• improved food security and its linkages with education access and learning outcomes

• innovative school construction models; from tents to temporary, transitional and permanent

STRATEGIC APPROACHES TO SCALE AND QUALITY

In order for NRC to achieve the ambitious goal of scaling up with quality set out in this strategy, we will pay increased attention to our work in five crucial areas: influencing edu-cation policy and practice; innovation; capacity development; partnerships and cross-sec-torial synergies and integration.

4. See: http://www.protectingeducation.org/sites/default/files/documents/safe_schools_declaration-final.pdf


• prioritise the most vulnerable • provide skills and knowledge• offer protection through a safe learning environment• strive to ensure gender equality• seek to ensure equal access to services for all• involve stakeholders in programme design• ensure the needs of children and youth are met through

active participation

NRC EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

“Out-of-school” is a broad term. It can refer to children who:

• do not have access to a school in their community• do not enrol, despite the availability of a school• enrol but who then do not attend school• drop out of the education system

The main barriers for children and youth to access and learn in school are: situations of fragility and conflict, poverty, poor health and nutrition, disability, discrimination based on gender, faith or ethnicity, lack of documentation and cultural factors.

NRC will increasingly work to reduce the exclusion gap of children and youth by addressing inequalities in access, active participation in education and learning outcomes.

CLOSING THE GAP FOR “OUT-OF-SCHOOL” CHILDREN AND YOUTH

RESULTS MEASUREMENT

In 2014, NRC introduced a new global monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework which structures how NRC measures programme effectiveness and quality, learning and account-ability.5 The 1 Million initiative is seen as an opportunity to further anchor NRC’s approach to M&E in the organisation, and measuring results for this initiative will therefore be based on existing mechanisms within the framework.

The “1 million” benchmark refers to children and youth who directly receive goods and services of signifi-cant educational value6 from NRC or NRC’s implementing partners. This includes both children and youth who are out of school as well as children and youth receiving schooling.

Only direct beneficiaries are counted and included in beneficiary reporting.

For example, NRC may train teach-ers in order to enhance the quality of education received by children and youth, but will only count the teachers as direct beneficiaries even though it is the indirect beneficiaries (children and youth) who are our primary targets.

It is only beneficiaries reached through NRC’s programmes who

will be counted in the core numbers. The results achieved through the two other pillars in the initiative, deploy-ment of experts and advocacy, will be gathered as part of a wider M&E framework and captured, for example, through evaluations, quality assess-ments and after action reviews.

5. See Monitoring and Evaluation at NRC. http://me.nrc-handbooks.org/m1/ 6. ‘Significance’ is embedded within the definition of each indicator in the m&e framework.

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Countries where NRC have ongoing education programmes

Countries where we have deployed education experts through our emergency roster NORCAP

Countries where we have both education programmes and education experts deployed

NRC HEAD OFFICE

Oslo

USA

IranAfghanistan

Nepal

Myanmar

ColombiaCAR

DRC Rwanda

South SudanUganda Kenya

Yemen

Ethiopia

Somalia

NigeriaGhanaLiberia

IraqLebanon

Palestine

Ukraine

Mali

Syria

Jordan

Eritrea

Switzerland

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Côte d’Ivoire

Burkina Faso Djibouti

Documents

NRC Education Strategy 2015-17