Egypt Refugee Appeal For Refugees from Africa, Iraq and Yemen 2018 | Page 33

Egypt Response Plan 2018
STRATEGIC VISION & RESPONSE PLAN
Partners in the education sector identified the following key objectives:
1. Access to education is increased for refugees and asylum-seekers through mainstreaming into the
public school system.
2. Quality of education is improved in school attended by refugee and asylum-seeker students.
The education sector partners in Egypt will support the integration of African, Iraqi and Yemeni refugees into
the public and private school system, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education, and school boards
(parents-teacher association). This will be achieved through capacitating public schools in areas with high
concentration of refugees. Education partners will provide a comprehensive programme for educators working
with refugee students with a focus on psychosocial support, strengthening teachers’ capacities and pedagogical
aspects of teaching. Meanwhile, refugee students will be supported to be fully integrated into public schools
through bridging and accelerated learning programmes.
For 2018, UNHCR aims at mainstreaming approximately
13,500 refugee school-age children into Egyptian public
schools. Over 8,000 of the targeted children are Sudanese
refugees and asylum-seekers, who have already been
granted access to public schools, and some 5,500
refugee children from sub-Saharan African countries.
As a first step, UNHCR, UNICEF, SCI, and CRS, in
partnership with the Ministry of Education, will conduct
a comprehensive needs assessment of public schools in
areas of high density of African, Iraqi and Yemeni refugee
children. The findings of this assessment will determine
the absorption capacity of the schools and their need
for additional space and staff training. This will help
education partners to devise a clear implementation plan
and provide refugee families with accurate information for
the enrolment of their children.
Targeted refugee children will require support prior to
their enrolment in public schools to ensure a successful
transition and minimize the risk of dropping out of
education. This support will be delivered through a
comprehensive bridging programme. It will, also, include
extensive language classes (particularly for non-Arabic/
non-English speakers), and supported a study to help
the children better understand and access the Egyptian
curriculum.
Families of African, Iraqi and Yemeni boys, girls and
youth will also continue to receive education grants,
upon enrolment and regular attendance. The grant will
contribute to school fees, uniforms, books, stationery
and transportation. The education grant is distributed
according to the school type and the grade of the student.
Vulnerable and out-of- school children will be identified,
and those with additional needs will be supported through
special assistance. Also, adult literacy and numeracy
classes will be provided to African families to assist them
in life-long learning.
Children may face challenging environments in Egyptian
public schools, including discrimination and harassment
in different forms. They may also struggle with managing
the transition from the familiar environment of community
schools where they are often taught in the ir dialect
by teachers from a similar background and ethnicity.
Education partners will be actively seeking the support of
Ministry of Education officials, both at the local and central
level, to ensure that children are properly protected and
receive appropriate support. In addition, partners working
in child protection will work very closely with these
children to ensure that their various needs are timely and
properly met.
Partners will also support a school-based reform model
that enables stakeholders such as students, teachers, and
parents to voice their concerns and contribute towards
an improved education process. This is expected to lead
to an increase in the enrolment and retention rates of
refugee children in formal education.
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