Policies

Self Learning Programs

Context and Issue

In 2016, the conflict in Syria persisted, causing significant loss of civilian life and destruction, particularly impacting Palestine refugees who faced heightened exposure to violence. Refugee communities, often located near Syrian population centres, endured attacks, leading to damaged homes and violent incidents within camps. Humanitarian access was hindered, disrupting essential services like education and healthcare. Living conditions worsened due to economic challenges, forcing many Palestine refugees to flee multiple times. By 2017, the majority of Palestine refugees in Syria required urgent humanitarian aid, with thousands trapped in hard-to-reach areas. UNRWA staff risked their lives to provide crucial assistance, but the conflict exhausted refugee coping mechanisms, leaving them heavily reliant on UNRWA for basic needs and protection. However, delivering aid remained challenging, with 70% of UNRWA schools rendered inoperative due to damage or access issues. Despite these obstacles, UNRWA collaborated with organizations like UNESCO and UNICEF to maintain education access for Palestine refugees amidst the ongoing crisis.

Solution

UNRWA ensures that Palestinian refugee children in Syria maintain access to high-quality education through innovative methods. They have developed self-learning materials aligned with fundamental concepts in subjects like Arabic, Mathematics, English, and Science. These resources cater to students who cannot regularly attend school and are available online and in hard copy for grades 1-6. Additionally, UNRWA offers an Online Interactive Learning Programme and educational games for grades 1-9, focusing on literacy and numeracy. Furthermore, UNRWA TV broadcasts educational lessons via satellite television and YouTube, featuring interactive episodes that engage students in learning Arabic, English, Mathematics, and Science for grades 4-9. These initiatives aim to provide engaging and accessible learning opportunities for Palestine refugee children, regardless of their ability to attend traditional schooling.

Impact

UNRWA has created several tools to aid field education and security staff in delivering quality education, including the Recreational Activities Guide, materials for the Self-Learning Programme, and the Safety and Security Training Package. Furthermore, the Agency is developing a quality assurance framework to enhance the effectiveness of the Self-Learning Programme materials.

Analysis

Such programs and interventions require extensive monitoring evaluation mechanisms to understand the overall impact of the activities and practices adopted during the program.