Education Cluster Nepal – Meeting Minutes
Date: 3 May 2015
Present: Department of Education (DOE), UNICEF, Save the Children, Australian Embassy, USAID,
World Education International, World Vision, Plan Nepal, Plan International, We World Onlus, Child
Development Solidarity, JICA, UNESCO, Japan Children’s Fund, SMC, Teach For Nepal, NSET,
Samunnat Nepal, Good Neighbours International, Action Aid, NCE Nepal, UNOPS, UNDP, New
Zealand High Commission, Tevel, dZi Foundation, FCA, CAM, CFPA, RC, Education Pages,
Partnership Nepal, Finn Church Aid, All Hands, Child Reach Nepal, Peace China, Anping China,
Meeting place: UN House, WHO hall (ground floor)
General Updates
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The report on damages in school buildings and casualty is accessible at www.doe.gov.np
(Please note that the data from Gorkha, Sindhupalchowk, Dolkha and Rasuwa are still
incomplete.)
DOE informed that there has been death of 77 students and 7 teachers confirmed so far.
1383 schools have full damage in 26 districts, while 3170 schools have partial damage in
38 districts.
Schools in 11 most affected districts will remain closed till 14th May while for other
districts DEO can decide the reopening date in consultation with DDRC.
Plan Nepal updated that in Makwanpur and Sindhuli have 60 and 11 fully damaged
schools, respectively. Plan has difficulties on school assessment in Ramechhap, Dolakha
and Sindhupalchowk due to the severe damage of the affected areas.
ACTION: DOE to share updated status of schools damage to Education Cluster by today.
School Reopening
1. Building checks for damaged schools
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The structural assessment of less-damaged schools needs to be conducted to ensure the
safety of children before the reopening on 15 May. Temporary Learning Space (TLS) will be
established at fully-damaged schools and those schools assessed to be unsafe.
The school damage assessment should be conducted by the technical experts, structural
engineers or educated and oriented technical volunteers, including the following human
resources;
- DOE: team of engineers locally, who can be mobilised.
- TfN: 65 teachers.
- FinnChurch: 50 persons.
- dzi foundation: volunteers who are already involved in districts.
- NSET: Nepal Engineering Association.
- UNOPS: 5 structural assessment experts.
- Early Recovery Cluster has been conducting the assessment of community buildings
through DDRC, hence, can be coordinated.
After the school damage assessment, each school should be marked either [USE] or [Do Not
Use] instead of colour coding to avoid any confusion.
Further, there were request to conduct assessment of CLCs, Resource Centres and other
community centres which can be used as TLCs.
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Action: DOE to coordinate the technical team for the assessment, jointly with cluster lead and
co-lead, along with district wise technical team.
Action: DOE to come up with detailed plans for severely affected and less affected districts by
5th May.
2. Tools
 The Rapid Damage Assessment tools developed are simple to use and are fit for further
planning for TLCs as well.
 The tools should be more inclusive regarding children with disability and adolescent girls with
menstrual needs.
 The tools should include questions on non-structural damage (e.g., textbook, other teaching
learning materials, school uniform).
ACTION: DOE to revise the tools and share by 5th May.
3. Communications campaigns
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There is need of communication campaigns to encourage children back to school. From early
recovery team, it was suggested that these can be used for community mobilization for
debris clearance. CwC working group has informed to have close linkages with media and
can contribute for media mobilization.
ACTION: DOE to develop key messages for communication campaigns for Back to School by 5th
May.
Emergency response (CFS/TLS) in the valley and beyond
1. Response
 A total of 15 CFS were established in the valley as of 3 May.
 Plans for response: Plan (Sindhupalchok-24 VDCs, Sindhuli, Makawanpur, Ramechhap), Save
(Gorkha, Sindhupalchok-22 VDCs, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan, Makawanpur), Teva
(Ramechhap), Action Aid (Sindhupalchok, Kavre, Raswa) are conducting rapid assessment
and delivery of the aid supplies outside the valley.
 CFS/TLS should be set up as soon as the aid supplies are delivered to the camps.
ACTION: District lead agencies to report the needs of CFS/TLS outside the Valley by 6 May.
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A standardized package of CFS/TLS with the common guidance on operations should be
developed. (including eligibility and orientation of facilitators/volunteers, Key messages,
recreational activities, contents of kits/materials).
 Guidance should also be provided to other clusters or agencies (e.g. Health) on how services
should and should not be provided through CFS
ACTION: Education Cluster and Protection Cluster to formulate draft guidance for review by Cluster
partners
ACTION: Partner agencies to send CFS facilitators/volunteers to the orientation at 11:30 am, 4 May,
at DWC (Details as below).
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To establish CFS durable during monsoon, agencies ensure the quality of tarpaulin and
flooring of CFS.
In Rasuwa, Dolkha and Sindhupalchok (North), CFS may require insulation materials (e.g.,
foam) to keep the space warm.
CARE has 1,500 tents; however, CFS should be established using tarpaulins not tents due to
the temporary nature of the space.
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Coordination
ACTION: Organizations to report the number of CFS established in/out the valley to Miku
(mwatanabe@unicef.org) everyday.
ACTION: Organizations which have newly joined the Education Cluster and want to support the
reopening of schools and/or emergency response in schools with major damages to contact the
district focal point agency for coordination (Contact List attached).
Orientation for CFS facilitators/trainings:
Save the Children will organize an orientation session for CFS volunteers/facilitators at 11:30 am –
1:30 pm, 4 May (Mon), at DWC. The orientation will cover the following:
- How to set up, manage and run CFS
- Registration and preparation of the list of children who come to CFS (check children who are
outside of camp)
- Familiarize with the Key Messages for children coming to CFS
- Facilitation of recreational activities
- Arrangement and Storage of materials
- Open and close of CFS
ACTION: CFS lead agency to send volunteers/facilitators to the orientation training.
ACTION: Any agencies who have recreation activities to share with facilitators/volunteers are
welcome to join.
Next meeting:
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5 May, 11am, UNICEF, DOE – General National Education Cluster Nepal
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