Mapping education data in Middle Eastern crisis contexts: What we learned and where to go from here

• In Event: New Directions in Education in Emergencies Data

Proposal

Under USAID’s Middle East Education Research, Training and Support program, in 2018 FHI 360 conducted a year-long data mapping and stakeholder consultation process to explore education data challenges and possible solutions in the Middle East region, with a spotlight on Syria, Iraq and Yemen. This presentation shares the results of these activities followed by a discussion of planned activities to address some of the most pressing data issues.

The project mapped publicly available datasets and resources and created a data library that will allow us to track multiple key educational indicators over time in each of the three conflict-affected regions. Drawing on Education Policy and Data Center resources, we mapped the availability of nationally representative education data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Demographic and Health Surveys, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, international learning assessments, and other key data sources, which are available mainly for pre-conflict and early conflict years. We also mapped existing humanitarian data on education in conflict, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and refugees. This process involved documenting the types of data and time periods covered by humanitarian dashboard series produced by UN OCHA, UNHCR, and Education Clusters. As part of the process of mapping relevant data sources, we identified key education indicators available from different sources, including indicators related to school access, retention, and completion; literacy and learning; and teachers, school infrastructure, and other school resources and supplies.

The stakeholder consultations targeted global education data collectors and aggregators from across the humanitarian and development sectors, United States Government staff from various agencies and bureaus focusing on Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and a range of non-governmental organizations implementing education programs in the region. These consultations revealed an extensive global network of organizations supporting data collection and strong partnerships among various actors working in education in emergencies in the region, and many exciting initiatives around improving availability, accessibility and coverage of data. However, the data challenges are real. For example, UN partners’ participation in data collection activities is often voluntary, and some partners do not participate, including, for example, charities funded by the Arab Gulf states or small civil service organizations working in local communities. Moreover, humanitarian systems collect information on the supply of educational services available, but data on demand for education is less available. Relatedly, there is a lack of availability of government data on educational systems. A broad range of actors are collecting data with different purposes and there is a strong need for improved alignment around the use of data across humanitarian and development partners.

The results of the mapping and consultations are being used to inform a set of activities around building shared understanding and capacity for humanitarian and development actors working in the Middle East region. These activities are framed around the different ways that various actors use data across the humanitarian-development continuum, with an emphasis on collective outcomes.

Author

• Anne Smiley, FHI 360