Policies

Quality Basic Education for Out of School Children in Yemen

Context

In Yemen, approximately 24.5% of children aged 6-14 are out of school, with girls in rural and disadvantaged areas facing even more significant barriers to education. Challenges such as long distances to schools, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, and the need for child labor exacerbate the situation, disproportionately affecting girls' access to and completion of basic education. Furthermore, unrest in 2011 and subsequent displacement of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis disrupted schooling, with many schools temporarily housing displaced families, exacerbating the strain on education infrastructure.

Solution

The Quality Basic Education for Out-of-School Children in Yemen project aims to enroll 102,000 out-of-school children by 2017 through various interventions. These include constructing 500 classrooms to address the lack of school spaces, capacity building for parents and student councils, expanding early grade reading programs in 500 schools, providing academic support for children aged 10-14 who missed regular schooling, and raising awareness about the importance of education for out-of-school children.

Impact 

Despite significant challenges, including conflict escalation in 2015 and security issues, UNICEF adapted its interventions to reach more out-of-school children. It surpassed the enrollment target, reaching 109% by enrolling 97,335 children out of a revised target of 89,200. However, ongoing insecurity in several governorates hindered project implementation, leading to delays in some areas.

Analysis

It is crucial to note that despite series of obstacles, partnerships with local actors facilitated the implementation of activities, demonstrating the project's resilience in addressing education challenges amidst crises.