JUNE 2011 UNICEF TOGO EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES AND POST-CRISIS TRANSITION 2010 REPORT EVALUATION

Transcription

1 JUNE 2011 UNICEF TOGO EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES AND POST-CRISIS TRANSITION 2010 REPORT EVALUATION 0

2 Project name Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition Donor G Netherlands Assisted country 1065 Togo Purpose of the contribution Implementing office To support Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition UNICEF Togo PBA programmable contribution amount US$945, PBA reference SC/2008/ UNICEF progress report no. 2 Date prepared March 2011 Period covered 2010 The Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition (EEPCT) programme began in 2007 as a four-year partnership between UNICEF and the Government of the Netherlands. The overall goal is to support countries facing emergencies and post-crisis transitions as they seek to establish a viable path of sustainable progress towards quality basic education for all. The Government of the Netherlands contributed US$201 million, and additional support of US$5.76 million was provided by the European Commission. The programme was later extended for a fifth year and is scheduled to end in December

3 Contents I. Background and summary page 3 II. Purpose page 4 III. Resources page 4 IV. Results page 5 V. Future work plan page 7 VI. Financial implementation page 8 VII. Expression of thanks page 9 Annexes List of acronyms page 10 Cover photo: UNICEF Togo/2010/ Fataou Salami 2

4 I. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY Togo (population: 6.78 million) is recovering from a 15-year political crisis that resulted in the severance of multilateral and bilateral aid from 1993 until Levels of those living in poverty raised from 30 per cent (1990) to 62 per cent (2006). A major consequence is that the country s efforts to reach development and poverty reduction targets have been sorely constricted. Regarding education, net enrolment in primary education stands at 87.8 per cent in 2010 (87.4 per cent for girls), up from 87 per cent in 2009, with a gender parity index of Net primary school completion rate is 63 per cent. The Government of Togo has recently adopted a 10-year Education Sector Development Plan in order to achieve universal primary education by Education quality varies between regions, and an estimated one third of teachers are volunteers (4,000 in formal schools, 6,000 in community schools), depending on in-kind donations from parent-teacher associations/parents. There are many challenges in the education sector: the lack of school infrastructures, the lack of equipment as well as teaching and learning materials, and the issue of qualified teachers. A UNICEFsupported study shows that the main reasons for not enrolling children in school were (1) the cost of schooling, including textbooks, parent-teacher association levies and other contributions, uniform fees, and opportunity costs; (2) distance (on average, rural children walk more than 30 minutes to get to the nearest school); and (3) inadequate school infrastructure. 1 The school fee abolition initiative, which started in 2008, resulted in a 22 per cent increase in the proportion of children attending primary schools between the 2007/08 and 2009/10 school years. However, investment in the sector in terms of school construction and teacher training did not follow this surge and gaps in access remain significant. Children living with a disability, ethnic-minority girls and working children have a higher risk of being out of school. In 2010, in addition to these challenges, floods in the southern region of Maritime have caused the displacement of 858 school-age children and have increased the number of damaged schools to 50, as these schools were already affected by floods from previous years ( ). Furthermore, in February 2010, ethnic and religious violence in neighboring Ghana caused a significant population influx in the northern region of Togo, affecting school capacity in the whole area. UNICEF s interventions supported by the Education in Emergency and Post-Crisis Transition (EEPCT) funds from the Government of the Netherlands aimed at strengthening school capacity and improving learning environment. In December 2010, the Netherlands EEPCT fund amounted to US$475,465.93, of which US$454, was used, with an execution rate of 95 per cent. 1 Alain Mingat,

5 II. PURPOSE The purpose of the EEPCT-funded education programme in Togo is to contribute to the four global goals: 1. Improved quality of education response in emergencies and post-crisis transitions - This includes both the immediate onset of emergencies, when the task is to restore schooling to affected populations, and the more sustained period of post-crisis reconstruction during which the aim is to rebuild the education system. 2. Increased resilience of education service delivery (that also reduces the risks of slippage and promotes turnaround ) during chronic crises, arrested development and deteriorating contexts This seeks to reverse the prevailing tendency to suspend support for education and other social services in so-called fragile states, while at the same time using education interventions to help leverage improvements in socio-political and/or economic fragility. 3. Increased education sector contribution to better Prediction, Prevention and Preparedness (the 3Ps) for emergencies due to natural disasters and conflict This involves more systematic use of education indicators relating to social decline and the potential for violent conflict, as well as technical knowledge relating to natural disasters. Through these tools education can contribute to better prediction of emergencies and to preventing them where possible. It can also help to improve preparedness to deal with emergencies. 4. Evidence-based policies, efficient operational strategies and fit-for-purpose financing instruments for education in emergencies and post crisis situations The purpose of this goal is to promote and support sustainable progress in efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and Education for All goals. III. RESOURCES Total 2010 approved budget as per country programme document: US$1,433,666 Total actual available by end 2010: 2,655, Regular resources available by end 2010: 477, Other resources available by end 2010: 2,177, List of donors and contribution amounts: Private sector fund-raising UNICEF national committees: Governments: Netherlands 473, Japan 664, Thematic funds: Basic Education and Gender Equality 508,

6 Global/regional funds: Danish Committee for UNICEF 363, United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF 110, United States Funds for UNICEF 57, IV. RESULTS IN 2010 Contributions from donors have made a substantive impact on increasing the capacity of education delivery in the context of Bangladesh. The points below describe interventions and related accomplishments for the EEPCT programme in Improved quality of education response in emergencies Acquisition and distribution of textbooks A major constraint to quality education in Togo is the lack of school equipment and learning materials, particularly textbooks. In 2010, the student to textbook ratio was 5:1 and 8:1 for French and mathematics textbooks, respectively. As such, to improve the quality of education, funds were directed towards the acquisition and distribution of 66,000 mathematics and 51,000 French-language textbooks for all grades, as well as 2,580 teachers guidebooks, all of which were donated to 270 schools in the flood-affected areas of Kara, Maritime and Savane. Remedial classes for Ghanaian refugees in the Tanjoaré camp In February 2010, ethnic and religious violence in neighbouring Ghana caused a population movement of about 3,000 people towards northern Togo. Among the displaced people were 980 students who joined the Tanjoaré public primary school in the northern region of Savanes; the school already had 702 enrolled students. UNICEF and its partners assisted the district education authorities in the organization of remedial classes for both Ghanaian and Togolese students during the months of August and September Among the Ghanaian refugees, English-speaking teachers volunteered to provide assistance to the Ghanaian children following the Ghanaian school curriculum. School supplies, such as pens, pencils and notebooks, and sports materials were also provided to the school. Interventions in three camps for temporary relocation of families affected by floods (Afagnan, Aklakou and Tokpli) in Maritime Region The 2010 floods in the Maritime Region caused the displacement of 858 school-age children. UNICEF, in collaboration with the regional directorate of education, reacted promptly with the provision of 10 School-in-a-Box kits for 40 students and 3 School-in-a Box kits for 80 students, benefiting a total of 640 students, as well as three tarpaulin sheets of 4x5 meters, nine lamps and some recreational materials. This enabled the displaced children to continue their education while living in the camps, under the supervision of the district inspector and closer monitoring from UNICEF and the regional directorate of education. Acquisition and prepositioning of tarpaulins To ensure that quality education is maintained during floods, in the most affected region of Maritime, 30 tarpaulin sheets of 4x5 meters were acquired and pre-positioned in the 5

7 prefectures of Lacs and Vo in the Maritime Region. The pre-positioning of tarpaulins ensures that in case of floods, schools do not get overcrowded and used as primary shelters. 2. Increased resilience of education service delivery in chronic crises, arrested development and deteriorating contexts During the past two years, UNICEF has supported the Togolese Ministry of Education in developing an essential education learning package that comprises a set of norms towards the achievement of quality education for all children. Through the definition of norms and standards criteria, one of the objectives of the Essential Learning Package initiative is to identify the basic services that need to be addressed for education to continue even under severe or chronic crises. In 2010, as different aspects of education services were assessed, such as schools supplies, infrastructure, teacher availability etc., school environment restoration and initiatives related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) were given a high priority. As a result, part of the EEPCT funds supported the renovation of school buildings in Maritime Region and the construction of water facilities in one resettlement camp for flood-affected families. Construction of footbridges in three public primary schools affected by floods As heavy rains severely restricted access to schools, preventing children from attending classes for weeks and compromising their safety, funds have been directed towards the construction of three wooden footbridges measuring 390 meters, in three flood-affected primary schools (Avépozo, Baguida B and Kanyi-Kope) in the suburbs of the capital Lomé. The footbridges were built to facilitate access to school during the rainy season for the 1,799 enrolled students. The construction of a water facility in Tokpli Internally Displaced Person camp The 2010 floods caused the displacement of 2,500 people who moved from their villages and temporarily relocated near the Tokpli public primary school in the Maritime Region. To help ease the sanitary situation in the camp and in the school area, UNICEF rehabilitated the borehole and installed water facilities, including two poly tanks. This was coupled with sensitization campaigns on basic WASH facility management, maintenance and usage. Monitoring and supervision A marginal part of the funding was used for activity supervision, monitoring and quality control processes, including regular visits to camp sites to monitor and verify 1) the number of reported displaced children; 2) the effective distribution of basic learning materials to the displaced children; and 3) school attendance. 3. Better prediction, prevention and preparedness for education in emergencies due to natural disasters and conflict Since 2007, UNICEF is actively engaged with the Government of Togo and other partners to help prevent, mitigate and better manage emergencies. As such, a national contingency plan was developed in 2010, serving as a framework for different interventions. In Togo, UNICEF leads the cluster for Education in Emergency and has supported the training of a core team for emergency response at the central level. The 6

8 plan is to use 2011 Emergency in Education funds to train and decentralize the education cluster at the regional level. Training of trainers on education in emergency In April 2010, UNICEF helped organize a five-day training of trainers workshop on Education in Emergency for 35 participants. Participants included 20 members of the national Education in Emergency cluster group, comprising Ministry of Education officials, non-governmental representatives and representatives from civil society organizations. The main objectives of the training included: 1) norms of education in emergency; 2) techniques and tools necessary for emergency preparedness and management; and 3) roles and responsibilities of cluster members in an emergency. After the training, a list of 10 national trainers was established and an action plan concerning the decentralization of the cluster activities was developed and implemented. The action plan included: 1) identification of cluster members at regional level; and 2) schedule of orientation activities for cluster members at regional level. This was accompanied by a time frame and budget. 4. Placing education in Togo on a viable path of sustainable progress towards quality basic education for all EEPCT-supported interventions have resulted in sustainable progress towards achieving quality basic education for all in Togo. Such interventions have directly benefited about 70,500 students, and are therefore an important contribution to UNICEF s efforts to reach the most disadvantaged children, especially those affected by crisis and emergencies. Through this funding, it has been possible to restore good learning conditions in schools where otherwise classes may have been interrupted or taught in very bad conditions. This can also serve as a model of response to future emergencies and help the Ministry of Education to better understand its responsibility in responding to such emergency situations. In general, the EEPCT project enabled the education sector to improve its readiness and preparedness for emergencies, being the first steps in a disaster risk reduction approach. Some major constraints faced during the implementation of the project include the very limited capacity in the country with regard to emergency response and, more specifically, the limited number of people adequately equipped with techniques, knowledge and skills to deal with emergencies in the education sector. For 2011, the plan is to strengthen activities related to capacity building for the Education Cluster, especially at decentralized level. V. FUTURE WORK PLAN In 2011, UNICEF Togo will continue to work to strengthen the national response capacity to emergencies in education. This will include not only the continued efforts in emergency preparedness and responses, but also a widening of the scope of support in prevention and disaster risk reduction through schools. Furthermore, particular focus will be given to strengthening evidence-based policy development and planning in 7

9 emergencies in the education sector. Of particular importance is strengthening the monitoring system to properly capture the trends of the key indicators to measure the impacts of the EEPCT programme in a more comprehensive and accurate manner. VI. FINANCIAL IMPLEMENTATION PBA SC/2009/1065 Netherlands Funded amount (US$) Expenditure (US$) Balance (US$) Percentage Education , , % Type Requisition reference Description Amount spent Workshop : Emergency in TGOA/2010/ , Cash Education TGOA/2010/ Logistics support to workshop 1, TGOA/2010/ Fees for project consultant TGOA/2010/ Emergency intervention in 3, Tandjoare refugee camp TGOA/2010/ Transport costs for emergency materials in Tandjoare site TGOA/2010/ Ordering fees for school textbooks and guidebooks 8, TGOA/2010/ Gateways for three flooded areas 8, TGOA/2010/ Acquisition and installation of two poly tanks for Tokpli camp (flood 1, emergency) TGOA/2010/ Emergency intervention (flood) Maritime Office of Water Resources and Meteorological 3, Services (DREM) TGOA/2010/ Restoration of well in Tokpli camp and monitoring of wells in eight 14, primary schools Contrat TGOA/2010/ Co-facilitation, de l atelier de formation sur l urgence en Education 5, (Support to the workshop on Education in Emergency) Travel TGOA/2010/ Emergency response to flood 2010 : damage and needs assessment TGOA/2010/ Student textbooks and teachers guidebooks 209,

10 Type Requisition reference Description Supply TGOA/2010/ Student textbooks and teachers guidebooks TGOA/2010/ Tarpulin- Education Emergency TGOA/2010/ Math textbooks and teachers guidebooks TGOA/2010/ Math textbooks and teachers guidebooks Amount spent 155, , , Total 473, VII. EXPRESSION OF THANKS UNICEF Togo wishes to thank the Government of the Netherlands for its commitment to the protection of the right to education, particularly for the guarantee of this right during emergency situations and post-crisis transition for Togo s children and adolescents, and for having entrusted UNICEF with resources that have proved to be essential for meeting the organization s objectives. We also thank the state institutions and the Ministry of Education, which opened their doors to UNICEF for an effective and efficient implementation of the actions that generate protective environments for children. Thanks also to our UN system agencies, without which the impact of this project would have not been as significant. UNICEF is also very grateful to the many non-governmental organizations and other grass-roots organizations for their tireless energy and commitment in sharing the vision supported by UNICEF for education in emergencies. Our great respect and gratitude go out to the children and adolescents who are survivors of violence and natural disaster in Togo, for having given us their smiles and sharing their life projects in exchange for the actions undertaken with and for them. 9

11 ANNEXES LIST OF ACRONYMS EEPCT WASH Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition water, sanitation and hygiene 10