What you need to know about education in emergencies

Education is a fundamental human right. For children and youth caught up in emergency situations, education not only means the continuity of learning, but it also provides a sense of normalcy and the key to a different future. With the knowledge, skills and support gained through education, generations survive crises and lead the world towards a sustainable future. This is particularly true for vulnerable groups including girls, migrants, refugees and people with disabilities, among others. UNESCO considers education an immediate and urgent basic need in crisis contexts just like food and health services that must be provided in humanitarian response. Since 1950, UNESCO has been engaging in education in emergencies (EiE) to ensure that people’s right to education is not hampered in times of emergency. 

The preparedness and resilience of education systems are tested under emergencies and crises. In 2019, 127 million primary and secondary school-age children and young people living in crisis-affected countries were out of school, which is equivalent to almost half of the global out-of-school population. COVID-19 exacerbated this trend, leaving 1.3 billion learners out of school around the world at its height. Globally, emergencies and crises not only result in school closure and attacks on education facilities but also lead to cutting of education funding, which eventually impacts the quality of education. At the regional and national level, emergencies and crises exacerbate pre-existing inequalities and further reduce access to education for the most marginalized groups. Crisis situations often hamper national governments’ capacity in planning. UNESCO works closely with ministries of education as well as partners in regional and international mechanisms to ensure that quality, inclusive and equitable education continues even under difficult circumstances. 

UNESCO bridges the gap between humanitarian intervention and longer-term development through education. Specifically, UNESCO works with ministries of education to identify priorities and develops crisis-sensitive planning and curricula, which respond to immediate needs and build resilience for children and youth with a special focus on the most vulnerable. Its commitment to protecting education during armed conflict is captured in the Safe Schools Declaration. UNESCO also supports countries to address the lack of accurate, reliable and timely data which is of crucial importance in driving effective education responses. With partners, UNESCO creates and ensures formal and informal learning opportunities for children, youth and adults in emergency contexts. It also works to provide lifesaving knowledge and skills and psychosocial support to those affected by crisis. Teachers, as the mainstay of continuous education, are provided with appropriate technical support and training.  

UNESCO is an active member of various global, regional and national coordination mechanisms. Globally, UNESCO is an important member of the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies and the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack. During humanitarian response, UNESCO works through the global and national Education Clusters. Regionally, UNESCO participates in the Quito process in Latin America which responds to the Venezuelan migration crisis. Through its national commissions, UNESCO works directly with ministries of education in the field of planning and capacity-building. With the help of donors such as Education Cannot Wait and the Global Partnership for Education, as well as donors such as Sweden and Japan, UNESCO is able to implement emergency programmes on the ground, together with partners from the UN family, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. 

UNESCO works at the forefront of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises, such as in Afghanistan and Ukraine. UNESCO also provides constant support to countries suffering from prolonged conflicts and crisis, such as in Iraq and Syria. UNESCO’s work covers various kinds of emergencies, and is expanding to respond to the impact of climate change through Disaster Risk Reduction in Education. Last but not least, UNESCO works with member states to strengthen the capacities of ministries of education in the areas of EiE data and protecting education from attack.