Norwegian Refugee Council Afghanistan, utbildning i konflikt 2018-2022

Through this 49-month grant, Sida contributes to Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Afghanistans ongoing education programme to further its reach and increase its positive impact on student beneficiaries through improved access to quality education in a protective environment. This is carried out through the establishment of learning centres, recruitment and training of teachers as well as provision of education materials to facilitate the learning process. Initially, the project targeted Badghis, Kunduz, Nangarhar and Uruzgan Provinces. However, the Ministry of Education (MoE) announced a new directive allowing only one education actor per district. NRC commenced negotiations with the MoE and Education in Emergencies Working Group (EiEWG) for allocation of new districts to implement the project. NRC successfully negotiated for five districts in Kunar Province, three districts in Zabul Province and six districts in Faryab Province. The selected districts fall into hard-to-reach areas to preserve the projects objective. The districts have been allocated to NRC on June 30th 2019. NRC relocated the project to new locations during June and July 2019 by terminating contracts of already hired teachers and community workers in Badghis, Kunduz, Nangarhar and Uruzgan Provinces and shifted all procured kits to new locations. At the same time, NRC commenced access negotiations with Armed Opposition Groups (AOG) and finalised the negotiations in September 2019 in Zabul and Kunar provinces. As of January 2020 NRC has established 125 classes in an accelerated learning and community-based education in the high Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and returnee-hosting areas of Faryab, Kunar and Zabul Provinces. 2 200 girls and 2 200 boys aged 10-15 have so far been enrolled through this intervention. During the months of December 2019 and January 2020, NRC has identified rehabilitation and WASH needs of the established classes, and began supporting them with small cash amounts for minor rehabilitation of classrooms as part of the learning spaces upgrade during the months of January - March 2020.

The overall goal of the intervention is to contribute to ensure that the right to quality education for vulnerable, displacement-affected Afghan boys and girls is fulfilled in a safe and dignified learning environment. With an objective to ensure displaced, out-of-school Afghan boys and girls receive the opportunity to develop academic and psychosocial skills, the program will provide access to quality education through accelerated learning and community-based education in a protective environment. The intervention also focuses on improvement of learning spaces (in terms of minor rehabilitation; water and sanitation facilities). The intervention further allows for policy engagement for the educational and psychosocial reintegration of conflict-displaced Afghan boys and girls into public education and society. The following outcome and outputs are envisaged through the program: Outcome: Vulnerable, displacement-affected children and youth have access to quality education in a protective environment. Output 1: Boys and girls receive the opportunity to develop academic and life skills through accelerated learning and community-based education. Output 2: Displacement-affected boys and girls benefit from integrated child protection and life skills. Output 3: Education in Emergencies (EiE) response mechanisms are established, including facilitation of teachers training. Output 4: Displacement-affected boys and girls benefit from upgrade of community learning spaces. The programme consists of four components: (1) Accelerated Learning and Community-based Education; (2) Integrated Child Protection and Life Skills; (3) Educational Systems Support, Including Teachers Training; and (4) Upgrade of Community Learning Spaces.