Holistic learning outcomes of crisis-affected learners in Kurdistan, Iraq

• In Event: Supporting children’s mental health, psychosocial wellbeing, social, emotional and academic learning outcomes in crises

Proposal

This study investigates the impact of prolonged conflict and displacement on educational outcomes in Iraq, with a focus on the Kurdistan Region (KRI). Five years after the large-scale military operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Iraq's humanitarian situation has significantly improved, with the number of people requiring assistance dropping from 11 million in 2017 to 2.5 million in 2022. However, 1.3 million children, particularly adolescent girls and young women, still face critical humanitarian, educational, and protection needs. This study assesses the holistic learning outcomes of grade 4 children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), focusing on literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning (SEL), including empathy and self-concept. The assessment, conducted in eight governorates, is part of the Multi-Year Resilience Program (MYRP), funded by a US$12.5 million grant from Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and implemented by Save the Children in partnership with the Kurdistan Ministry of Education.

The study addresses three key research questions: (1) What are the current levels of learning among the targeted population? (2) How do learning outcomes differ by gender and population status (refugees, internally displaced persons, host communities, and returnees)? (3) What contextual factors are associated with variations in learning outcomes? Data were collected in the language of instruction, using tools translated into Arabic, Surani, and Badini.

Findings reveal low overall proficiency in literacy and numeracy, with only 40% of students able to read and comprehend paragraphs, and 33.5% able to solve mathematical problems. SEL outcomes were similarly concerning, with 40% of children unable to demonstrate empathy and 50% struggling with self-concept. Notably, girls outperformed boys in literacy, empathy, and self-concept, with statistically significant differences. Displaced children, particularly refugees, tended to perform worse academically, although this was linked to specific barriers such as older age, crowded classrooms, and language mismatches between home and school.

Interestingly, displaced learners scored higher on SEL domains than their peers in host communities, possibly due to the resilience developed through hardship. The study also found that children who do not speak the language of instruction at home perform worse in literacy and numeracy. Teacher characteristics, particularly having a degree and years of experience, significantly influenced numeracy outcomes, with optimal teacher effectiveness observed around 15 years of experience.

The study concludes that while reducing class sizes is important, ensuring adequate resources and retaining qualified, experienced teachers are crucial for improving educational outcomes. The findings have been used by the Ministry of Education and humanitarian-development partners to inform education policy and programming in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The analysis suggests that the variance in student performance linked to school-related factors points to modifiable policy and program variables, emphasizing the need for strategic investments in education resources and teacher development.

Author

• Shelan Khalil, Government Entity