Policies

Diagnostic tools for improving education policy planning

Context and Issue

Yemen's education system has faced significant challenges and disruptions due to political instability, crisis, and prolonged conflicts since 2011. These adversities have resulted in alarming rates of illiteracy and high dropout rates, particularly among girls aged 6–14, who are among the most vulnerable groups in the country. The ongoing war and conflict have exacerbated the situation, leading to a surge in girls' dropout rates from primary education. This case study examines the factors influencing the school completion of girls aged 6–14 in public primary schools in Yemen, focusing on the period from 2014 to 2018.

Solution

Various indicators were analyzed using the IIEP Policy Trees framework, including enrolment rates in primary education by governorate and gross enrolment rates of girls and boys in public primary schools. The analysis revealed a decline in enrolment and completion rates, particularly among girls, attributable to the impacts of the conflict. The root causes identified include economic barriers, displacement, insecurity, and physical damage to school infrastructure, particularly in conflict-affected areas.

Based on the findings, several policy options are recommended to address the economic challenges exacerbated by the conflict:

1. Provide economic incentives to encourage families to prioritize girls' education.
2. Implement income-generating activities for families, such as monthly school feeding programs for girls and their teachers in primary schools.
3. Establish a joint fund between NGOs and governmental partners to support girls' education initiatives.
4. Develop flexible learning strategies and alternative programs to ensure continued access to education despite the challenges posed by the conflict.

Key Insights

The analysis highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse impacts of the conflict on girls' education in Yemen. By addressing economic barriers and implementing innovative policy measures, efforts can be made to improve enrolment and completion rates, thereby enhancing educational opportunities for girls and fostering long-term development in the country.

Analysis

Data availability is a main concern in implementing this solution; not all countries have such a developed education management data. Moreover, a limitation is an upgradation and update especially for qualitative measures.