Restoration & reconstruction process
	In situations of reconstruction after conflict or natural disaster, there is an opportunity to rebuild the education system to avoid the weaknesses and faults of the past, and to promote social harmony, individual fulfilment and sustainable national development. Situations of reconstruction may provide the opportunity to reconceptualize curriculum and methodology over the longer term, through curriculum development work drawing on national professionals and through strengthening systems of in-service and pre-service teacher training. The period of reconstruction should also permit reorientation of textbooks, to remove messages leading to ethnic or religious division, hatred and intolerance, and to provide positive models of peaceful conflict resolution behaviour.

 

Institutional development at the national, regional and local levels Effective management in post-conflict situations requires reinforcement of national planning and management capacities for education, as regards institutional, physical and human resources. In a situation of reconstruction, Education Ministries and regional and local institutions are often lacking in the most basic resources, and staff may lack management, education and pedagogic expertise. Human resources need strengthening, especially in the key fields of education planning and management (including coordination of international assistance); curriculum, textbooks and national examinations; and teacher training. Reconstruction further requires the strengthening of district and municipal education institutions, without which much assistance is wasted and reforms are neglected. In many situations, the evident lack of absorptive capacity has inhibited long-term donor support. UNESCO should seek to ensure that, in a major crisis, there are experienced technical advisers in these fields working within the Education Ministry to strengthen its capacity. These advisers could be made available through training and they will be in charge of installing functioning systems and team-building. This is the most catalytic assistance that can be provided in the context of reconstruction, meeting UNESCO’s criterion of ‘value added’. Basic education After an emergency, the initial steps towards restoration of schooling are often taken by community groups. Teachers, youth and adult educators should be drawn from the community, providing psycho-social benefits to the learners and to the community as a whole. Capacity-building for the community’s role in school management should begin with in-service training of teachers and training of school management committees, from the earliest stage of the emergency. Many agencies are likely to be involved in supporting the restoration of pre-school and primary school education, and UNESCO’s role should be complementary, drawing on what are, or should become, its strengths notably in education planning and management, curriculum, textbooks and examinations, and teacher training. Secondary education Secondary education will play an increasing part in emergency education programmes, since lower secondary education is now widely recognized as an essential part of effective basic education (especially so in print-poor environments, where children study in a language which is often not their mother tongue, and where reversion to illiteracy is a constant threat for primary school graduates). Urgent needs include funding to cover school reconstruction, textbooks, supplies and equipment, including science and sports equipment, and payment for teachers. Major issues of concern to UNESCO include certification of studies, when examination systems have collapsed, or in refugee situations; and the review of curriculum and textbooks, including modernization of content and reorientation to promote tolerance, peace and universal human values. Technical and vocational education and training for young people Employment opportunities are often very limited in emergency situations. Hence it is important to carefully assess the fields of technical and vocational study that should be supported in emergency education programmes. In post-conflict situations, there is often scope for skilled employment in construction and other sectors. A combination of institution-based training and work-place training is desirable. UNESCO should include crisis-affected communities in innovative development programmes, and recommend similar measures to multilateral, bilateral and non-governmental agencies working in this area. Higher education and teacher training Rehabilitation of universities and teacher-training institutes is a key area for UNESCO support, and can play a crucial role in harnessing the energies and talents of educated youth and academics to promote national renewal and a new vision for society. Innovative approaches need to be explored to increase outreach, including distance education programmes, especially for acknowledging teachers gained competence and upgrading them quickly in the perspective of reconstruction. Promoting non-formal education for conflict- and disaster affected populations Recent emergencies have seen innovative programmes for out-of-school youth and for promoting the re-entry of youth to formal schooling. Such programmes have not been implemented on a systematic basis and have indeed been cut back due to general underfunding of humanitarian operations in recent years. UNESCO will promote the establishment of clear guidelines on education for youth, including young demobilized soldiers, girls and the marginalized, for example through accelerated basic education and vocational training for social reinsertion. UNESCO will identify and review best practices in non-formal education for women in conflict-affected populations. UNESCO will review innovative programmes in this area, preparing training guides and educational materials and reinforcing partnerships between key actors in this field. UNESCO will sensitize its partners to the possibilities of sharing information about innovative approaches to non-formal education, taking place in non-crisis locations, with ongoing emergency and reconstruction programmes. Enhancing preparedness: developing standby capacity for educational reconstruction UNESCO needs to provide leadership and local capacity-building in situations of crisis and reconstruction in the fields below: (i) educational planning, management and administration, including the coordination of international assistance; (ii) strengthening and reorientation of the formal education system, notably curriculum, textbooks and examinations; (iii) in-service and pre-service teacher training; (iv) non-formal education and activities for out-of-school children, youth and adults, especially at-risk groups; and, (v) in some circumstances, physical infrastructure and education equipment in collaboration with concerned partners. The unpredictability of emergencies and of their transition to the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase means that United Nations agencies must rely heavily on the use of ‘standby’ arrangements as well as experienced experts. It is important therefore to identify and train standby personnel who can work in the phase of post-conflict reconstruction. Some NGOs and government institutions have made a major contribution to emergency response through their standby secondments to United Nations agencies, for emergencies, and in some instances for reconstruction . UNESCO will enter into discussion with international organisations, regarding the development of enhanced standby capacity for work in this field, including its staff as well. Training for standby panels in education for reconstruction will follow the model of a one-week training course in the country concerned and a one-week training course in UNESCO headquarters, a regional bureau or a specialized institute, e.g. the International Institute of Educational Planning (IIEP). Where possible, there will be short-term deployments to provide relevant field experience in advance of a stand-alone assistance deployment, or participation as a sub-sector specialist in a major reconstruction programme.