Humanitarian Partnership Conference 2015 Boma Hotel, Nairobi 15 th - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• Dr. Loise Gichuhi

Education in Emergencies Project Administrator University of Nairobi

Humanitarian Partnership Conference 2015 Boma Hotel, Nairobi 15th to 17th September University of Nairobi ISO 9001:2008 1 Certified http://www.uonbi.ac.k e

 The full story of refugees in Kenya goes

beyond Kakuma and Dadaab.

 There are evidenced phenomena of

refugees increasingly moving to urban areas

 UNHCR notes that only one third of 10.5

million refugees now live in camps.

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 More than half of the refugees UNHCR serves now

live in urban areas, with the rest living in rural areas.

 About 56,000 refugees live in various cities in Kenya,

majority living in Nairobi.

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 This discussion is based on a qualitative case study

research project conducted at eight primary schools, four in Nairobi and four in Kakuma refugee camp, “Quality Education for Refugees in Kenya: Nairobi and Kakuma (2014)

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 For the purpose of this discussion, urban refugees are

the focal point.

 Four schools were sampled on the basis of the

number of refugees admitted to the schools at the time of the study.

 Major research themes are cited and

(recommendations made)

 Some reflection on the principles of humanitarianism,

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 Many humanitarian actors’ activities are guided by

four humanitarian principles:

• humanity
• neutrality
• impartiality
• independence.

 Humanitarian principles provide the foundations for

humanitarian action.

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 Largest urban refugee population  56,000 refugees registered by UNHCR

 UNHCR data indicates that

• Somali population is the largest followed by
• Ethiopians,
• Congolese,
• Sudanese,
• Ugandan and
• Rwandese,

 while smaller refugee group residing in Nairobi include those

from Eritrea and Burundi.

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• Multi-sited, comparative case study
• Data collection methods
• Classroom observations
• Semi-structured interviews
• Document review
• Interviews
• Transcribed verbatim
• Coded thematically
• Etic and emic codes
• School data was further analyzed in order for

cross-cutting issues

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School

• l

#Stud udents nts #Refuge fugees Students dents #Teachers achers #Refuge fugee Teache achers rs Sudi (Communi ty School) 225 127 18 4 New Eastleigh (Public) 782 671 30 Mwiki (Public) 2550 200 62 New Kihumbui ni (Public) 1801 50 34

• Students enter schools speaking mother tongue
• Current policy in Kenya

○ Schools teach in Kiswahili or English

• Impact on students and teachers

○ Challenges- the learning of Kiswahili which is examined at KCPE ○ Strengths - Students want to learn English

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• Current Policy

○ Schools follow national Kenya curriculum ■ Needed to pass KCPE exam

• Impact on Students and Teachers

○ Challenges- difficult to teach due to range of educational and linguistic student backgrounds

• Schools accommodate the religions of refugee

students

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• Textbooks

○ Lack of textbooks ○ Textbook quality falls short

• Schools are overcrowded
• Scarcity of latrines

○ Cultural issue - Sudanese girls cannot be seen by males going to latrines ■ Males are potential husbands

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 Ove

verage rage stud udents ents

 Language barriers and lack of previous experience result in allocation of older students in lower grades

 No special desks  No preparation for integration

 Need additional help in classroom especially to fit in and languages

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 Female

ale students dents

• Female enrollment rates continue to drop with

every grade level

• Early marriage, FGM, and domestic work are

causes of female drop out

• Lack of reproductive health classes

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 Unaccompanied Minors

• Reasons for being unaccompanied -

loss of family, mobile families looking for work, repatriated families sending children to school in host country

• Some school programs are in place to

assist

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• Methodology and Pedagogy

○ Teacher-centered pedagogy widely used ○ Discourse - “call and response” ○ Learner participation was passive

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• Teacher Training

○ Based on the findings of this study, teacher training is one of the areas that requires urgent attention ■ Programs are in place, but vary in quality and access ○ Teachers have expressed desire for training ○ Finding funding for training is an issue

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• Teacher Absenteeism , Motivation , and Turnover

○ Reasons for both- safety, participation in resettlement program, mobility for economic opportunities, and collection of rations ○ Low teacher motivation due to low pay, inconsistent pay,

• verall lack of support

○ Lack of training on the best methods to teach refugees

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• Refugee movement between Kakuma and Nairobi
• Impact of mobility and migration

○ Student absenteeism ○ Lack of student documentation ○ Leaving students with extended family

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• Funding is a major shortfall

○ Not supported by Kenyan Board of Education ○ Rely on community support ○ Impacts personnel, infrastructure, and material availability

• Major strength

○ Community support ■ Education “buy in”

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 How do the Key findings fit in the

humanitarian principles?

 Who are the Key Players?  Are they aware of their role?  Kenyan Teachers Training? Humanitarian

Principles? Dealing with refugees?

 What are the solutions?

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 What proactive role can the humanitarian do

to improve on this ?

 Is open admission policy enough in the

integration process of the refugees?

 Should there be a special curriculum and

certification for the refugees?

 Training of teachers..should it include

refugees matters as an emerging issue ?

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Thank you Email :lopawer2@gmail.com Tweeter : @loise_gichuhi Skype: loise.gichuhi1

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