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Analysis standard 1: Initial Assessment
A participatory assessment is conducted, taking into account local capacity, the political, economic, sociocultural, geographical and humanitarian context. |
Key Indicators
- All potential stakeholders are identified and given the opportunity to participate in the assessment process; special consideration is given to including marginalized and vulnerable groups in this process (see guidance note 1).
- There is a minimum audit of the past, current and planned education and other relevant activities of local, national and international actors with target population (see guidance note 2).
- The assessment identifies potential risks and opportunities for educational intervention (see guidance note 3).
- The available educational human, physical and financial resources are identified and documented, such as teachers, textbooks, NGOs and school infrastructure (see guidance note 4).
Guidance Notes
- Potential stakeholders should ensure representation of key groups within the community, such as diverse representative by age, gender, disability and ethnic origin. Any efforts to achieve participation should ensure measures are taken to address issues of participants’ safety.
- The audit will help to ensure an understanding of the work of other actors in this context, which will facilitate coordination and appropriate response.
- The initial assessment must locate the emergency situation within the context of factors likely to affect the success of intervention, including such factors as security and political stability, the likely duration of the emergency.
- Human resources should take particular account of available skills, for example, teachers’ capacity, or lack thereof, to offer psychosocial support.
- No consensus/debate: The minimum standards are trying to ensure that education is seen as a priority response within emergency situations. But if the initial assessment must take into account local capacity, the political, economic, sociocultural, geographical and humanitarian context and be participatory, will this take too long to formulate a response in an emergency?
Analysis standard 2:
Institutional learning |
To build upon: Any standard or indicator developed for ‘institutional learning’ should articulate the need to build capacity for learning from past experience and for information sharing and dissemination (particularly evaluation data) in order to positively build upon past programming and policies. This category should be cross-referenced with standards developed under the categories of Program Management and Educational Policy and Coordination
Learning Content and Methodology Standard 1
A focused learning environment is established. |
Key Indicators
- Learning programmes are closely integrated to the survival needs of the affected population.
- Where possible and appropriate, continue previous educational provision, such as curriculum, textbooks and teachers (see guidance note 2).
- The learning environment promotes the identities and cultures of the learners.
Guidance Notes
- The learning environment should be established as soon as possible and in an uninterrupted manner, where possible.
- The previous curricular materials can provide a safety net for learning in an emergency, but efforts should be made to ensure that it is appropriate and that negative aspects of ideology do not transfer from historical background. Curriculum can be political, and there should be a guidance note to reflect this. Who gets there first and delivers/sets the curriculum?
- To build upon: How and where to link community participation in these issues?
Learning Content and Methodology Standard 2
All relevant stakeholders are engaged in a process of dynamic curriculum development. |
Key Indicators
- Teacher development involves critical reflection on education processes, such as curriculum.
- There is a flexible curriculum that responds to learners’ diverse and evolving needs and competencies (see guidance note 2).
Guidance Notes
- ‘Stakeholders’ include representatives across sectors and affected communities, such as learners, educational authorities and personnel, parents, health officials, etc.
- Curriculum should not be static; it should evolve. Resources should be sourced and depend on local availability.
Learning Content and Methodology Standard 3
Learning is recognized and validated. |
Key Indicators
- Learning is accredited where possible and desirable.
- Links are made with appropriate education authorities to ensure accreditation and certification of learning programmes.
- Learners participate in their assessment (see guidance notes 1 and 2).
Guidance Notes
- To build upon: Efforts should be made to actively engage learners in the critical reflection of their learning to advance their learning. Assessment promotes the acquisition of transferable skills.
- No consensus / debate: Some participants felt that this indicator is not realistic, even in many developed countries. Others felt that, as emergencies provide opportunities for positive change, this indicator could provide an opportunity to allow for learners’ greater participation and reflection on their own learning. Also, we need to always keep in mind that having a higher standard for the affected-community vs. host community is dangerous, and can we meet this indicator in all situations?
ACCESS, EQUITY AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
(Note on category: the participants regrouped the categories to overlap: Access, Equity and Learning Environment; they also suggested grouping together Learning Content, Resources and Teachers and other Education Personnel.)
Access, Equity and Learning Environment Standard 1
There are safe spaces for learning. |
Key Indicators
- The learning space is free of live munitions, unexploded ordinances and landmines.
- Learners are protected from the elements.
- There is freedom from physical and sexual abuse.
- There is designated space for children’s education.
- If education is taking place within a physical structure, it is safe.
Guidance Notes
- Clarification: Learning ‘space’ used rather than ‘structure’ or ‘school’ as the learning space may be mobile, such as educating women working in markets.
- No consensus: Should an indicator or guidance note articulate a minimum distance between learning spaces and military presence? Some felt that the minimum standards offer an opportunity to articulate a ‘safe space’ policy visa via armed personnel. However, others offered examples of how the armed personnel can help protect learners. The local political reality of having military personnel and weapons nearby was also discussed- how to affect that?
Access, Equity and Learning Environment Standard 2
All people have access to learning irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religion and disability. |
Key Indicators
- Positive steps are taken and documented to ensure girls’ and women’s’ access to learning (see guidance note 2).
- Positive steps are taken and documented to ensure girls’ and women’s’ participation in the learning process (see guidance note 2).
- Positive steps are taken and documented to include learners of all ethnic and social groups (see guidance note 2).
- Mechanisms are in place to promote access to learners with special educational needs.
- Quantifiable targets regarding participation levels are agreed upon and worked towards.
Guidance Notes
- Clarification: This standard was originally phrased as: The learning environment is inclusive. However, the definition of ‘inclusive’ was problematic because it might be read as referring to disability and ignore gender and ethnicity issues. The word ‘ethnicity’ is also problematic, as in some countries collecting data on ethnicity may encourage discrimination. If ‘ethnicity’ is included, there should be a guidance note about confidentiality and safety issues.
- Suggestion: Combine the first three indicators above into one: Positive steps are taken to ensure access to and participation in learning for all, especially girls, women, members of ethnic and social groups and those with special educational needs.
Access, Equity and Learning Environment Standard 3
The learning environment promotes positive attitudes and practices towards working and living with other people. |
Key Indicators
- As soon as possible, training opportunities that prevent violence, sexual and emotional abuse and intolerance towards others are made available for teaching staff.
- There are reduced levels of violence in the learning environment (see guidance note 1).
- Codes of conduct are in place and applied (see guidance note 2).
Guidance Notes
- Baseline data is required to meet this indicator.
- Codes of conduct may be a formalization of existing rules.
- No consensus / debate: Should the standards and indicators be targeted at education for children or adults? Schools vs. informal settings? Some participants suggested that separate standards and indicators might be needed for children and adults.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Community Participation Standard 1
The community participation process is immediate, ongoing and empowering, involves all significant subgroups of the community and it is respected by all governmental and non-governmental agencies. |
Key Indicators
- Work to establish an effective group to address educational needs starts immediately.
- The representation of the group echoes balance within the wider constitutes of the community.
- The community is involved in the design, implementation, resources and budget management and evaluation of emergency education provision.
- The education provision planned by the group is taken up and carried out.
- All governmental and non-governmental agencies respect the group as a local decision-making authority in the planning process.
- The consultation process is on-going and enables changing needs to be reflected in longer-term educational provision.
- The power dynamics between the different representatives within the group are analysed by the group and every effort is made to ensure everyone has an equal voice.
- The group ensures that all subgroups are fairly representing their constituents.
- Education provisions reach the areas of most urgent need within an acceptable time in a form that is acceptable and effective to the learners.
Guidance Notes
- Background information for the chapter introduction: In emergency situations, government structures are often not functioning and community participation is the only way to guarantee legitimacy. It is wrong to believe that emergency interventions can ignore community participation and education, even from day one. Top-down interventions may seem quicker and efficient, but if we ignore voices of the affected community, interventions can do more damage than good, for example by perpetuating conflict. Long-term sustainability of educational provision is fundamentally tied to the community participation. In addition, over time the participation process must extend to surrounding areas, including non-affected populations, to ensure consistency in provision; if the surrounding population is excluded in the longer-term, it can generate new conflict.
- This category cuts across other sectors and categories and should be cross-referenced throughout the final standards document.
- ‘Significant subgroups of the community’ include women, caste, clan, tribe, age groups, religious denominations and conflict groups.
- All governmental and non-governmental agencies should have agreed upon and established procedures for ensuring community participation in designing education responses. These procedures should be an essential part of the immediate response from day one, and should include the use of participatory methodologies to rapidly establish:
- The immediate education needs of diverse subgroups (children, adults, young people)
- Available human, financial and material resources
- Power dynamics between sub-groups, including language groups
- Limits presented by security arrangements
- Feasible locations for education provision
- Ways of integrating education into all aspects of emergency relief, especially where education can play a life-saving role.
- There is a need for locally generated materials that are culturally sensitive, which should be identified by the community.
- No consensus/ debate: Calling for equal participation may upset norms. Is this social engineering? No, emergencies provide an opportunity to break these barriers and divisions. Token participation is a missed opportunity and ineffective in the long-term. Community participation itself is an educational/learning opportunity. Community participation must include real and sustained empowerment and capacity-building and must build upon efforts already underway on the ground.
- No consensus / debate: Can you empower during an emergency?
EDUCATION POLICY AND COORDINATION
Education Policy and Coordination Standard 1:
Partners in education decision-making have demonstrable legitimacy. |
Key Indicators
- The affected community is supportive of the decision-making process.
- The decision-making body includes representation from the affected community.
Guidance Notes
- Where possible and appropriate, the education authority should be involved.
- Representatives should cut across a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
- No consensus / debate: The exercise is unrealistic in conflict situations, but it depends on how the standards and indicators are interpreted. Still need to try with the belief that the standards may be aspirational. Need to make sure that interventions and responses do not creates an opportunity for provision of education that the host population does not have access to.
Education Policy and Coordination Standard 2:
An inclusive structure coordinates educational plans and programs. |
Key Indicators
- The education authority plays a lead role in coordination.
- A common statement of aims, indicators and monitoring procedures is in place to which agencies have committed themselves.
- Regular meetings are held.
- Education information reaches key actors.
- There is no conflict between plans of various educational actors.
Guidance Notes
- Discussion of designating a lead agency
- Completeness of inclusion is negotiable
Education Policy and Coordination Standard 3:
There is effective intersectoral collaboration. |
Key Indicators
- A transparent mechanism exists for sharing information between sectors.
- Resources from other sectors are utilized for education aims.
Education Policy and Coordination Standard 4:
Emergency response takes into account the policies and practices of the affected areas. |
Key Indicators
- There is continuity between response plans and existing policies and practices.
- Implementing agencies take into account national legal framework and policy documents.
- Implementing agencies taken into account international legal framework and policy documents.
Guidance Notes
- No consensus / debate: Using top down approach in emergencies is convenient, but it can lead to perpetuation of difficulties that exist and prevent sustainability.
- No consensus / debate: There is a tension between respecting local policies and practices and taking the opportunity afforded by an emergency to change the system. Minimum standards may oppose social norms but this is also an opportunity to alleviate and/or address inequalities and discrimination, especially taking into account the most disadvantaged and affected. Is empowering those who suffer the most social engineering? Are minimum standards imposing values on communities? They involve judgments about culture, social norms and political will.
- Are the minimum standards and intervention or a response? Humanitarian agencies’ short-term commitment is damaging; they must not interfere with efforts that already exist, but build upon them.
- How is ‘emergency defined? This influences the scope of the standards.
Education Policy and Coordination Standard 5:
Domain of intervention |
To build upon: In plenary, participants felt that there is a need to develop a standard around the domain of intervention- when, under what circumstances, etc.
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