All children in the MENA region access quality education
Based on lessons learned and CRSAs, SCS Lebanon aims at approaching the right of child to quality education through the following: reduction of PHP and violence in schools; capacity building for schools and teachers; improving the learning environment (including physical) and reducing dropout rates. This cannot happen unless civil society is involved, child participation is activated and parents have increased awareness and contribute to the improvement their children’s education. Quality education and dropout in the country are highly contingent on the level of violence in school. Reducing PHP and all kinds of violence is therefore essential to achieving SCS’s goal and objectives. Lebanon faces challenges regarding the lack of implementation of free and compulsaory education for all children, especially refugee children and children who have dropped out of school. The upcoming work will therefore focus on these disadvantaged children, providing them with increased opportunities to access education and working with parents, teachers and communities to improve the educational environment and remove the educational barriers leading children to drop out. Moreover, work will be undertaken with regards to laws, policies and national plans.
Save the Children Sweden added value
SCS will be coordinating with interested Alliance members to respond to the education needs in the country. SCS education partners will not only benefit from the potential funds that will be raised by the SCS team. They will also benefit from the education and protection expertise that will help integrate protection measures into the school systems for a better quality of education. Learning will be enhanced at the country level through exchanges between private, public actors and UNRWA, and also at the regional level with main actors and Alliance members, such as SCUK which also has an inclusive education program. A major added value includes the work with regards to advocacy and networking with the various stakeholders. SCS’s experience with refugees and emergencies provides a further asset.
Approaches
Direct Support: Technical support and capacity building to partners in inclusive and protective education, networking with duty bearers, inclusive education index and coordination with Alliance members.
Research: root causes of dropout and mapping of stakeholders and education national strategy.
Advocacy: Child led advocacy and advocacy with UNRWA and MoE to endorse child protection policies, supporting CSOs to advocate for non-formal education and advocacy initiatives in favour of the ratification of laws impacting on access.
Capacity building: Institutional and community level capacity development on inclusive education, training of schools and teachers on inclusive education and active school management