Flexible Learning Pathways for Inclusive Education and Social Cohesion: Evidence from GPE support to Non-Formal Education in Syria

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

More than a decade of conflict in Syria has left over two million children out of school and millions more at risk of dropping out. The protracted crisis has weakened the formal education system’s capacity to absorb all learners, particularly those affected by displacement, poverty, damaged infrastructure and natural disasters. In this context, Non-Formal Education (NFE) interventions, supported through the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)-funded programme and implemented by UNICEF and Save the Children, become a vital mechanism to expand learning opportunities and mitigate the risks of exclusion.

This panel discussion draws on programmatic experience of NFE implementation in Syria, including accelerated learning programme, remedial, early childhood education, and home-based learning. Collectively, these flexible learning pathways aim to address the needs of the most marginalized children, including internally displaced persons, refugees, girls, and children with disabilities and support them to return to structured learning. Beyond academic recovery, the programmes provided protective environments that promote life skills, psychosocial resilience, and social cohesion. NFE centres frequently act as safe spaces where children from diverse backgrounds learn together, thereby reducing tensions and fostering a sense of collective belonging.

The panel discussion seeks to address the following questions:
1. Access and Inclusion – To what extent do flexible learning pathways reduce barriers for children excluded from formal schooling?
This presentation will highlight differentiated NFE approaches such as the Self-Learning Programme (SLP), Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP), remedial classes, and early childhood education, tailored for diverse groups of children, including out-of-school children, children at risk of dropping out, and children with disabilities. These programmes are delivered in various settings, from formal schools and community learning centres to camps and private homes. Drawing on evidence on enrolment, learning outcome improvement, and transitions into formal education, the presentation demonstrates how flexible learning pathways remove barriers, bridge learning gaps and restore access to education for the most marginalized children across Syria.

2. Learning, Wellbeing and Social Cohesion – How do NFE interventions promote psychosocial wellbeing, resilience and peaceful coexistence in conflict-affected contexts?
This presentation will examine how NFE interventions go beyond foundational academic skills to foster life skills, psychosocial resilience and social cohesion in conflict-affected contexts. Drawing on findings from programme assessments and anecdotal evidence, it will highlight the role of NFE centres as protective and inclusive environments, offering safe spaces for children to recover a sense of normalcy. The discussion will also explore how integrating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into NFE teaching, learning, and parenting practices helps reduce conduct issues, aggressive behaviors, and conflict—thus contributing to violence prevention and laying the foundations for peaceful coexistence.

3. Opportunities and Ways Forward—What are the most promising practices for sustaining NFE gains and supporting reintegrating learners into formal education systems in the future?
This presentation will reflect on the future of NFE in Syria, examining both opportunities and persistent challenges. It will highlight promising practices such as the integration of digital and blended learning solutions, and the alignment of the NFE materials with the national curriculum. The session will also explore strategies to address the needs of returnee children to support their reintegration into formal education. Finally, it will address key structural challenges—including sustainability, national ownership, and resource constraints—that must be tackled to ensure that NFE continues to serve as a credible, scalable, and resilient model for inclusive education in Syria.
By situating Syria’s NFE interventions within the broader theme on “Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World,” the panel will highlight both empirical findings and programmatic insights that demonstrate the potential of NFE to contribute to educational inclusion, wellbeing, and social cohesion in fragile settings. Quantitative data on enrolment, retention, and transitions to formal education will be complemented by qualitative insights from learners, caregivers, teachers, and community members.

Sub Unit

• Education in Conflict and Emergencies SIG

Chair

• Muhammad Tariq Khan, Global Partnership for Education

Individual Presentations

• Learning, Wellbeing and Social Cohesion in Syria - Bem Tivkaa, Save the Children International

• Opportunities and Ways Forward for NFE in Syria - Alexandra Xuechen Bao, UNICEF Syria

• Access and Inclusion through Flexible Pathways in Syria - Ashraf Al Masri, UNICEF