Annex I: Mandera / El Wak / Wajir Integrated Assessment

December 2 – 4th 2006

Deborah Haines / Education

This report outlines main Education findings of the two-three day assessment held in the Province of Mandera, north eastern Kenya, from 2nd – 4th December 2006. The aim of the assessment was to gain a clear understanding of the preparedness of actors on the ground for a possible refugee influx, with regard to each of the sector areas and the general context – with view to preparing for a possible intervention by pre-identifying capacity, actors, infrastructure, resources and logistical sites. Education was one of the sector areas assessed, along with Protection, livelihoods and health/nutrition.

Locations

Mandera Town, El Wak and Wajir District and Town

Assessment Methodology

Consultations were held with representatives of the Ministry of Education and local NGOs, two teachers and one group of children. As schools are closed due to school holidays, observation of teaching and learning was not possible although visits were made to four town schools. Organised meetings with groups of teachers and children were also not possible although impromptu discussions were held. Particular effort was made to observe learning conditions for Pre-school children and to understand the context and challenges for children out of school.

The information for this assessment was gathered across three geographical areas within a limited time period; the results should be viewed in light of this context where time constraints did not facilitate discussions with a large number and broad cross section of people and where triangulation to verify all findings was not always possible. However, lengthy discussions were held with most of the following.

Consultations

Mandera

Discussion, District Education Officer (MoE)

Discussion, Deputy Education Officer (MoE)

Discussion with two Sisters of the Catholic Sisters Mission

Meeting with Project Officer, Norda, part of COCOP

Discussion with Monitoring Officer, Aridlands

Brief discussion with boys (4) enrolled in boarding school

El Wak

Discussion with Red Cross Branch Officer/Voluntter

Discussion with Project Officer, Somalia Action / Action Som

Discussion with CARE Programme Manager

Wahir

Discussion with District Education Officer (MoE)

Discussion with Deputy Education Officer (MoE)

Observation visit to Weberi Primary school – brief tour and discussions

Discussion with Group of primary school children (6)

Observation visit to Township Primary school

Discussion with Teacher, Weberi Primary School

Discussion with Representative of WEMA – Womens Education Mobilisation and Action

Discussion with Early Childhood Development Lecturer and teacher, Township School


Context brief

The education assessment indicates an estimated seventy percent of school age children (the higher majority of whom are girls and also children of pastoralist, nomadic communities) are unable to access basic primary and secondary education across the Mandera province. Despite the alarming statistics of the large proportion of children that remain out of school, there has been significant increase in enrolment in some schools (especially in towns attracting destitute pastoral families) most of which have already limited resources including inadequate number of teachers to meet demand. Hence, the existing schools are now pushed to their extreme full capacity – with average class sizes seventy. Water and sanitation conditions call for urgent attention, especially in light of the increase incidents of disease including malaria and diarrhoea. Serious issues of social protection are also of concern exacerbated by the barriers to education, especially for youth.

Education Summary

Findings from this rapid assessment indicate that the immediate and longer term education and protection needs for school-aged children (including pre-school, primary and secondary school children across Mandera, El Wak and Wajir) are great and indeed urgent. While the efforts of the Ministry of Education and agencies such as UNICEF and USAID significantly improve services for some areas have been hardest hit by drought, the current demand for schooling and the conditions for those out of school, continues to call for urgent further support than that provided by recent and current programmes. The capacity of the sector to meet needs of the thousands of children currently out of school is extremely strained. Greater numbers of children arriving from across borders will exacerbate a situation that could already be described as an ongoing, chronic emergency.

The assessment set out to ascertain the degree of preparedness within the education sector with the possibility of a future influx and also in light of the multiple impacts of the drought (October 2004), plus the current flood situation affecting some areas. Impressions were such that effects of the drought on schooling appear to be far greater and much more widespread than the effects of recent floods. However, with inadequate water and sanitation facilities, and also the difficult economic situation for many families, the impacts of flooding in some areas are rapidly increasing the spread of disease (such as malaria and diarrhoea) and increasing the risk of further health issues for children.

Operational challenges that schools face are many: it is not uncommon for schools operate double shifts to cope with the large volume of students[1], teachers are overstretched to meet varied needs of large class sizes where classes are comprised of different groups, the number of actual schools is vastly insufficient and the resources within them – particularly water and sanitation facilities - is also inadequate to meet the sanitation needs of the children who use them. This final point is of particular concern considering the notable increase in malaria and diarrhoea[2]. No local NGOs were found to be exclusively supporting education, aside from one women’s group WEMA, in Wajir that extends support to marginalised girls in four schools. USAID, CARE, OXFAM and World Vision all support improvement of hard-ware (attention to water systems, buildings and furnishing). UNICEF was the only international agency supporting with hard-ware and also training/capacity building.

Despite the varied efforts by the Kenyan Government to increase access to schooling for primary school children (including introducing free education and endorsing mobile schools for nomadic families), not only is the sector massively under resourced (shortage of teachers in schools as result of government ceiling limit of annual recruitment)[3] but the system is seriously under-prepared to absorb the present number of children currently in the area.[4] Should any event cause a further influx, the current challenges and urgent issues (that are seriously putting children’s survival and development at risk (including those of a protection nature), will undoubtedly be exacerbated. In short, a further emergency will be created as a consequence of increased demand upon already limited capacity. Average class-sizes of seventy are one indicator of the limitations and the shocking conditions of sanitation facilities – in many (of those observed and also other described by CARE) are another. Poor conditions have worsened in many schools as result of the recent floods (ie. collapsed latrines[5]).

The majority of children are not in school – the reported estimation was seventy percent [6]; most of these children are from nomadic, pastoral/farming communities and the poorest. In is predicated that the majority of pastoral families who came to town areas will eventually return to rural areas – especially once they are restocked. Over the past two years, enrolment in primary school increased dramatically – as result of a number of combined factors: 1/ the drought of 2004 meant that pastoral children who would previously care for livestock were now free to go to school; 2/ the WFP daily school feeding was (and continues to be) a major incentive for children to attend in response to the chronic food shortage. (Many of those consulted were quick to point out that this was the strongest pulling factor for school enrolment and attendance as opposed to the child’s classroom experience); 3/ the bold initiative by the Government of Kenya to introduce free primary schooling for all by removing fees and providing stationary, consequently removed the financial barrier and opened the doors to unprecedented numbers. Collectively these factors have caused a massive surge in numbers of primary school children over the last two years.

The services and support systems for young children three to five appear also to be overstretched and possibly the most neglected of all school age groups. This part of the sector is not entirely government funded – teachers are dependent upon parental contributions. This report recommends further research and assessment of the services for young children.

However, some children continue to face a barrier in accessing school, particularly (but not limited to) pre-school and secondary children: fees are charged for Pre-school (a pre-requisite for primary enrolment), and also for Secondary. Hence, the rate of transition from Primary to Secondary is staggeringly low and of those that do manage to make the move into Secondary, large numbers (particularly girls) steadily drop out due to the demand of fees and other associated costs (books, food, uniform etc). This said, a number of gender-related factors contribute to the high and steady drop out of girls. Many other demands still present a barrier for many children: long distance to school, the general family economic needs, and perception of the value of education – especially in light of high unemployment.

Finally, one education official expressed ‘the province has gone through one emergency after another - from drought to floods, but it is almost as if we are becoming accustomed to such situations and the immense challenges that prevent our children from accessing the very basic services, like education, that will enable us to better cope, find solutions and make progress’.


School Capacity

Several large-scale projects attempt to increase capacity through building and resourcing primary schools. The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has contributed by providing 30 schools across Mandera (also provides scholarships for pastoralist children).

Enrolment in primary schools increased significantly since the onset of the drought 2004. In one year alone, the average primary school enrolment in one district (Mandera) increased by more than 3,000 children [7] calling for an additional eighteen new schools. This influx has placed enormous strain on already stretched, limited resources. In Mandera district alone, an additional 257 teachers are needed to meet the present needs (ie. they are 257 teachers short). According to education officials, since the influx, average class sizes are now seventy, with some cases of 1 teacher for 120 children. The official government –teacher-pupil ratio is 50/1. Classrooms are actually designed for forty-five children.

One example of a school where seven teachers are massively overburdened is Burduras Primary that opened in response to increased demand with an immediate 585 children on roll for Standards One to Five. Another such school is Shir Shir primary (Ashabito Division), where 220 pupils (previously out of school children) enrolled in just one month.

Another factor increasing pressure on already stretched resources are the numbers of children who cross the border from Ethiopia and Somalia on a daily basis given that formal schooling has been absent in Somalia since 1991[8].

The government has placed a ceiling on teacher recruitment based on the number of children enrolled; however, according to District Officers, even this does not meet the basic minimum requirements. The ceiling, coupled with ongoing enrolment results in a chronic shortage. Education officials fear the shortage will be greater next year because the intake for Standard One is always greater.

Access to education

Children out of school

This group of children are more likely, although not exclusively, to be from Pastoralist communities. A large (unknown) proportion of families have suffered due to depleted livestock and hence are economically stretched – creating strain to meet basic needs, which impacts upon aspects of child development and survival and also the wellbeing of other family members, especially mothers. No livestock means less trade and no income generation. The assessment did not fully explore the range of factors that still prevent children going to school when primary education is free. UNICEF provide bursaries for (twenty?) girls each year to facilitate transition from primary to secondary, prevent secondary drop-out and to enable progression to tertiary educaiton. Distance to school was one factor presented by the District Education Officer who mentioned that schools can be up to a 100 km apart. Although each division has at least one school, there is still a shortage. Distance to school is a particular barrier for girls. Mobile schools that travel with Pastoralist families have been piloted in attempt to overcome the barrier of distance and the security concerns that may arise when children (especially girls) have to travel far to school.

Water and sanitation supplies to schools (provision of water tanks and piped water to boreholes also helped re-open schools where children had dropped out due to chronic water shortage. During the drought there was widespread hunger and malnutrition compounded the poor hygienic standards causing further illness and children to drop from school. The combined interventions of wat-san support, school feeding and training for hygiene awareness has helped alleviate dropout to some extent.

Youth out of school

Education Officials and two teachers expressed concerns about youth out of school. Enrolment in secondary school is drastically low in number compared to primary – and the gender disparity is also a concern that the MoE endeavours to address with support from UNICEF. In Mandera, enrolment in primary stands at 35,146, compared to secondary enrolment of 2,150. Enrolment figures for Wajir follow a similar pattern:

Level / Boys / Girls / Total
Prre-primary / 2,395 / 1,671 / 4,066
Primary / 16,350 / 8,713 / 25,063
Secondary / 2,438 / 1,731 / 2,438 *

The high drop-out rate for boys and girls gives rise to a number of social and protection issues. With the majority of population not completing secondary school, demand for employment is high yet there are limited opportunities – and this is especially so after the prolonged drought attracted people to towns in search of alternatives to farming and work with livestock.

Youth, achievement and issues of protection

Teachers and also two persons from NGOs reported concerns over the social behaviour of youth with the marked increase in crime – including a marked increase in possession of small arms and also drugs (tamboo and mirra). Low levels of achievement in school can also be a source of aggression and cause of attacks on teachers. Teachers explained that when some primary and secondary students are dissatisfied with their results, they have taken revenge on teachers and attacked them.