Policies

Better Learning Program

Context

In Cameroon, the education sector faces a crisis marked by ongoing attacks on schools and overcrowded, poorly maintained classrooms accommodating over 1.4 million children. As of 2022, attacks on schools continued steadily, leading to the closure of 3,285 schools nationwide. The Northwest and Southwest regions are particularly affected, with 68% and 39% of schools being non-operational, totaling 2,245 schools in these areas alone. 

Solution

Internally Displaced Pupils who were formerly timid or unable to open up about their worries become more confident in themselves. Boys and girls are more able to share their feelings about various topics, such as the death of loved ones, their traumas, fears, and frustrations with teachers, as well as some of their friends. Moreover, the Better Learning program (BLP) aimed to help children manage negative emotions through calming down exercises, thereby improving social cohesion in school.

Impact 

There are no reports or evaluations conducted regarding the intervention that could highlight the impact of the better learning program in the context of Cameroon. However, some studies illustrated the impact of the intervention in Gaza. An evaluation report conducted by NRC regarding the intervention stated that the BLP intervention contributed to improving the well-being of the participants of the interventions with the help of tools to develop skills for coping with different forms of trauma and anxiety due to the conflict context.

Analysis

Professional psychological support is required to ensure the effectiveness of this solution. There could be potential financial barriers to hiring such resources. In addition, a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation mechanism that illustrates the impact findings would enrich the lessons learned to ensure that the solution can be scaled or replicated in different countries in similar contexts.

However, there is evidence that this solution contributed to reducing stress and anxiety amongst the recipients of the intervention in the prolonged fragile conflict context in Gaza in 2017. The sustainability of the solutions may vary based on the intensity and nature of the conflict.