Foundational Learning Outcomes & Wellbeing in Crisis-affected Contexts: A true catalyst for positive change.

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Children’s right to learn and be protected is under severe threat from conflict, displacement, climate change, hunger and health crises. 75 million children have their education disrupted every year. For around half of them, this is the result of climatic and environmental threats – such as cyclones, typhoons, floods and drought. Climate-related events have already contributed to over 50 million children being forced from their homes, migrating across borders, or being displaced within their own countries. Within the last three decades, there have been more than 20 health epidemics, and in 2018 alone, there were more than 50 active state-based armed conflicts, where schools were damaged or destroyed.

Crises are not new and they are not going away. Instead their severity and frequency are projected to increase. For instance, the World Bank suggests that more than 143 million people could be internally displaced by 2050 due to the slow-onset impact of climate change. Crises are also becoming more protracted, with the average humanitarian crisis lasting over 9 years and protracted refugee and internally displaced peoples (IDP) situations lasting an estimated 26 years. This means children currently living in displacement will likely remain displaced for their entire childhood. Holistic education in emergencies programming has never been more critical to ensure children’s right to quality education, where learning does not stop during a crisis and children are able to safely return to school afterwards.
A crisis or shock can lead to children being denied the chance to learn. In crisis-affected countries, 127 million primary and secondary school-age children were out of school – almost half of the global out-of-school population. Children in these countries were 30% less likely to complete primary school and 50% less likely to complete lower secondary compared with children in countries not affected by crisis. Furthermore, in crisis-affected countries, among those who stay in school, many are not learning. The World Bank estimates that of the 720 million primary school-aged children, 382 million are ‘learning poor’, either of being out of school or below the minimum proficiency level in reading. The children most affected by inequality and discrimination are at the greatest risk, particularly girls. With so many children missing out on a good‑quality education, it is forecast that globally, in 2030, 20% of young people aged 14–24 and 30% of adults will be unable to read. Without strong foundational skills, children are unlikely to acquire the technical and higher-order skills needed to thrive in increasingly demanding labor markets and perpetuates fragility and insecurity.

Yet, education can also be the key to recovery from a crisis. After an emergency, education is vital to help children rebuild their lives, and restore a sense of hope. The main catalyst for positive change is strengthening children’s holistic wellbeing and learning outcomes. Functional literacy, numeracy and social and emotional learning competencies are foundational for children’s development, active engagement and citizenship in society. However, there is little research and understanding regarding how best to support children’s learning and wellbeing in crisis-affected and emergency contexts both at the individual and systems level. The proposed panel will explore the factors that contribute to children’s literacy, numeracy and social and emotional wellbeing in crisis-affected contexts, presenting applied research findings from practitioners and sharing experiences and insights from learners themselves. The panel will look at the multiple dimensions of fragility across various crisis-affected contexts and the impact on children, as well as the impact on formal and non-formal education systems’ ability to strengthen children’s learning outcomes and wellbeing. It will explore best practices and lessons learned in education in emergencies programming, examining interventions across the socioecological model with learners, caregivers, community leaders, teachers, administrators and policymaker. Research from Colombia, DRC and Nigeria will look at how crisis-affected contexts affect girls’ education, and the barriers and enablers to support girls’ learning outcomes and perceptions of empowerment. Research from Ukraine will look at how MHPSS has been integrated into education programming for children and teachers, and the correlation of MHPSS on children’s learning. Research from Syria will examine how learning outcomes, wellbeing and parental engagement are interconnected in formal and non-formal education, particularly targeting internally displaced children. The panel will share insights from these research projects to strengthen our collective understanding of how to support children’s learning and wellbeing in fragile contexts, so children’s rights do not stop during an emergency, and education can be a catalyst for positive change after a crisis.

Sub Unit

• Education in Conflict and Emergencies SIG

Organizer

• Sarah Moorcroft, Save the Children Canada

Chair

• Nora Charif Chefchaouni, Save the Children

Individual Presentations

• Strengthening Girls' Learning Outcomes and Empowerment in Fragile Contexts - Learnings from Colombia, DRC & Nigeria - Sarah Moorcroft, Save the Children Canada

• Mainstreaming MHPSS in Education Interventions - A Case Study from Ukraine - Clare Sadd, People In Need

• The Impact of Wellbeing Support and Parental Engagement on Children’s Learning Outcomes in Syria - Laurel Jansury, People In Need