Ethiopia is well on its way to establishing national guidelines for education in emergencies, a vital step in ensuring that children have access to schooling even in times of crisis. The country office of the Pestalozzi Children’s Foundation (PCF) is actively contributing its expertise to the development of these guidelines.
From 12-14 August, a national validation workshop on the development of Education in Emergencies (EiE) guidelines was held in Ethiopia – a milestone on the path to binding national standards for education before, during and after crises.
Organised by the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, the workshop brought together eleven representatives from government bodies, international organisations and NGOs, including the PCF country office in Ethiopia.
The aim was to ensure that the draft guidelines are consistent with national requirements, global standards and the needs of affected children. The draft will now be revised and submitted to parliament for adoption.
Recommendations from advocacy workshop incorporated
The PCF country office in Ethiopia contributed key recommendations to the validation process, based on its own advocacy workshop held on 4 July. These included: creating a coherent policy framework for education in emergencies, strengthening cross-sector coordination, securing sustainable public financing, and providing targeted training for teachers and education staff working in crisis situations.
These points were taken up by participants and integrated into the guidelines. Anchoring education in emergencies at national level is an important step towards securing long-term access to education for children in Ethiopia – even in times of instability and crisis.
Next steps
The successful conclusion of the validation workshop has brought Ethiopia a decisive step closer to a crisis-resilient education sector. The Ministry of Education will now integrate the agreed amendments, including those from the advocacy process, into the draft and submit the final version to the Ministry of Justice for review. Parliament will then decide on its adoption.
Once officially adopted, the guidelines will be rolled out nationwide with technical and financial support from the government and international partners.
- The team of the PCF Ethiopia country office (from left): Mesfin Alemu, Abebe Demisu, Getachew Tamiru
- Yeka Tafo Primary School, Addis Ababa
