How can education be supported where armed groups repress learning? Lessons learned from Conflict Sensitivity and Do No Harm analysis.

• In Event: Distance Interactive Audio Learning: Defying obscurantism by accessing education where schools and education are attacked

Proposal

In Niger and other neighbouring countries, regions are under constant pressure from targeted killings, school closures, kidnappings, collection of tithes (zaakat). Attacks are increasing and the security situation has been marked by physical violence, threats and extortion. The rapid deterioration of the security context has led to an increase in the flow of displacement, the number of which is rising every month.
This has a significant impact on children's education and on the school system. Children lose access to school during movements and schools in host areas, despite government measures to try to accommodate the children arriving, lack resources and capacity. Education is particularly affected by this conflict but is also targeted. In 2021, there were 4 incidents where education staff were killed, kidnapped or arrested according to Education in Danger monthly reports and attacks on schools have increased in recent years.
Considering those needs and challenges, Concern carried out a conflict sensitivity analysis to collect information to best understand the link between education and conflict and adapt the response to the needs of the beneficiaries, the administrative, political, social and security context of the intervention areas. This is to ensure that the intervention in Education is conflict sensitive in order to minimise negative effects (contribution to conflict), if possible maximise positive impacts (contribution to peace) in the implementation of activities.
The analysis has shown that Education is one of the main targets and educational staff are among the most wanted and most at risk in the event of an attack. Some of the reason is that school provides a ‘Western education’, considered by the armed groups as 'white education'. They teach French and a curriculum that is considered impure and the language of instruction seems to play an important role. In addition, the school is a representation of the state and in many areas is the only public infrastructure in the village. Not only the school but also the school personnel are the representation of the government. They are also resource persons in the villages, just like village chiefs or religious leaders and are therefore at increasing risks because they are involved in informing and uniting the population and they educate the children. Results show that there is a general valuing of school and education from the communities as a future perspective for children and as a way out of poverty. Armed groups therefore repress education because it is a strong tool for change.
This presentation will detail some of the results of this analysis and the measures taken continuously to monitor the situation and ensure the program remain sensitive to conflict and does no harm in supporting communities accessing education.

Author

• Agathe Freal, Concern Worldwide