Continuity Education in Emergency and Conflict Situations: The Case For Using Open, Distance and Flexible Learning

Authors

  • Charlotte Creed The Open School Trust National Extension College Cambridge England CB2 8HN
  • Roslyn Louise Morpeth National Extension College, Cambridge UK

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v1i3.25

Keywords:

Equivalency, flexible, emergency, conflict, open schools, flexible learning strategies, continuity education, distance learning, open learning

Abstract

Emergency and conflict in countries such as Syria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka  and Afghanistan have made us more aware of the long-term serial disruption and psychosocial damage faced by people caught up in emergency and conflict areas.  Open, distance and flexible learning (ODFL) has sometimes been employed in these regions to maintain a degree of continuity in education. For the most part, however, this role has been ad hoc, short-term and often bearing limited relation to the psychosocial and educational needs of the displaced or traumatised populations it serves.

 

But could ODFL play a more planned, significant and relevant role in emergency and conflict regions and if so, how?  This paper will address this core question.  We identify particular aspects of ODFL programmes, which are especially useful in reaching and extending basic and secondary education to hard-to-reach children and those in emergency and conflict contexts. Through a specific case study of the recent conflict in Sri Lanka, we show how ODFL is currently being used for these groups and to what effect. We argue that by building on proven achievements and integrating ODFL more systematically into the existing national planning for conflict and emergency zones, it could play a significant and cost-effective role in these regions and also, more widely, in facilitating links between the non-formal and formal sectors and improving the quality of provision.

Author Biography

Roslyn Louise Morpeth, National Extension College, Cambridge UK

Chief Executive

References

Key agencies & background reading for education in emergency & conflict zones

International Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) http://www.ineesite.org

International Rescue Committee, http://www.rescue.org

Save the Children, http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/Education_in_Emergencies_policy_brief_1.pdf

UNESCO, http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/themes/post-conflict-and-post-disaster-responses/education-in-emergencies/ & http://www.alp-edu.net/ & http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001833/183363e.pdf

UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/eapro/activities_3836.html & http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61685.html &

War Child, www.warchild.org.uk

References

Coomaraswamy, R. 2010 ‘UN warns of refugee camp dangers to children BBC’, BBC Online news 15.9.10, available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11307679 (accessed on 15.9.10)

Creed, C and Morpeth, R, Review of Daniel, J Mega-schools, technology and teachers: achieving education for all, Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, Routledge forthcoming Feb 2011

Daniel, J. 2009 Mega-schools, technology and teachers: achieving education for all, Oxford: Routledge

INEE, 2004 Minimum standards for education in emergencies, chronic crises and early reconstruction: a handbook, Geneva: Inter-Agency for Education in Emergencies

Kirk, J. (ed.) 2009 Certification counts: recognizing the learning attainments of displaced and refugee students, Paris: IIEP

Save the Children, 2010 The future is now, London: Save the Children Alliance, available at http://www.savethechildren.net/alliance/media/newsdesk/2010-05-11.html (accessed 15.9.10)

Starkey, J. 2009 ‘Girls target in Taliban gas attack’, The Independent Newspaper, 13th May 2009, available at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/girls-targeted-in-taliban-gas-attack-1684028.html (accessed 15.9.10)

UNESCO, 2013 Flexible learning strategies for out-of-school children & youth, Bangkok: UNESCO http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002230/223023E.pdf

UNICEF, 2009 Open and distance learning for basic education in south Asia: its potential for hard-to-reach children and children in conflict and disaster areas, Kathmandu: UNICEF ROSA

http://www.unicef.org/rosa/ODL_Report_(Final_version)___10_Dec_09.pdf (accessed 20.10.13)

UNICEF, 2009a Open and distance learning for basic education in south Asia: its potential for hard-to-reach children and children in conflict and disaster areas, Country Reports, Kathmandu: UNICEF ROSA

http://www.unicef.org/rosa/ODL_Country_Report_(Final_version)___10_Dec_09.pdf (accessed 20.10.13)

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Published

2014-09-16

How to Cite

Creed, C., & Morpeth, R. L. (2014). Continuity Education in Emergency and Conflict Situations: The Case For Using Open, Distance and Flexible Learning. Journal of Learning for Development, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v1i3.25

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 3 (2014): Issue 3

Section

Reports from the Field

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Received 2013-10-23
Accepted 2014-09-13
Published 2014-09-16