EDUCATION CLUSTER MEETING in MOES, 18 September 2015, Time: 10:00 – 12:00, MINUTES
Participants:
-
Participants: Akhmetov Foundation, La Strada, A21, DRC/DDG, SOS Children’s Villages , Save the Children, UNICEF, MOES
(Representatives of the pre-school department;
- Representatives of the external studies department;
- Representatives of the department which is responsible for orphan
- Department of psychosocial support and after school studies (extracurricular activities)
- Representative of distance learning department
Subject
Discussion
Action points
Cluster Coordinator announced the Humanitarian Needs Overview and its discussion on the
Next meeting topic in October
next meetings, because we need to develop the humanitarian response program.
2015 will focus on
Humanitarian Needs Overview
By 7 October, 2015 the Ministry of Education and Science (MOES) must get the finalized
(HNO)
information about the quantity of children who attend or don’t attend schools and learning
facilities. This information will greatly inform other UN agencies who can use to see where IDP
may be living in Ukraine.
Oblast Departments of
MoES: all the willing children who stayed in the occupied territories/become IDPs, got the
Education should be included
secondary school certificates. There were offered the external studies (distance learning).
in all HNO meetings, as they
have better information on
The number of children who received the certificates:
the local situation.
After 9th year of studies:
Donetsk oblast: 15 340
Luhansk oblast: 6137
After 11 year of studies:
Donetsk oblast: 17 000
Luhansk oblast: 6 673
A follow up meeting with
statistical department of
MOES, ideally after week of
October 1 and when enrolment
data has been shared.
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Subject
Discussion
For the graduation exams there were created additional sessions. All the children who lost
their documents, could continue education in any place of Ukraine, ordering the copies of the
documents.
Action points
Distance learning (DL) is relatively new in Ukraine, now DL can support schoolchildren who
want to continue their education in Ukrainian schools but can not leave NGCA. The main
purpose of DL is not to replace formal school, rather a way to keep children safe for the
children from the contact line and NGCA.
Children of 9th form who have received certificates from the so-called authorities of the
DPA/LPA certificates, may pass the exams in external studies and continue education in the
10th form. The most difficult situation is with the pupils of 11th form because they must pass
the graduation exams and enter universities only the next year which causes them to lose a
year of school.
Psychosocial support: MoES cooperates with UNICEF, La Strada, Akhmetov Foundation,
through the network of school psychologists and social workers. There are 22705 school
psychologists and social workers in Ukraine. 14832 practical psychologists and more than 7000
social workers.
Together with La Strada – the program of conflict situation reduction.
All the IDP children have received the seats in the kindergartens, despite the fact that about
116 000 children are waiting for their places in Ukraine.
Mine Risk Education: DRC/DDG
The review of MRE materials made from the start of the crisis. Their quantity, distribution area,
quantity of beneficiaries covered. (Nina)
MRE poster A2
MRE leaflets A3 and A4
YMCA brochure – under review
To find materials by the MOES,
please see
http://mon.gov.ua/activity/edu
cation/zagalnaserednya/osvita-osib-zosoblivimipotrebami/navchalnometodichni-posibniki.html
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Subject
Discussion
Important – the same approach to MRE and same messages in all the materials of all the
partners (not to disperse people’s attention). The key messages which should be in all the MRE
materials of all the partners (Nina)
Action points
Key partners and their role - brief review of the MRE working group task (Ed).
International guideline of MRE – what not to do (not to give many details of UXOs, not to show Pending: Is IMAS in Russian
dummies, etc) (Ed)
Plans for MRE
Ed – about the project with other partner (the European Union)
Nina – briefly about the big new campaign and its components
The review of MRE materials made from the start of the crisis. Their quantity, distribution area,
quantity of beneficiaries covered. (Nina)
In 2014 UNICEF in cooperation with the State Emergency Service and the Ministry of Education
and Science developed first phase of the mine and UXO risk awareness and education
campaign targeting children aged 6-18 years old in Donetsk and Lugansk oblast.
In autumn 2014 together with Ministry of Education and State Emergency Service UNICEF
disseminated information materials: 200 000 posters (to show an example) for children in all
schools and public places, and 400,000 leaflets (example) for children, parents and teachers.
About 1,700 schools in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and about 600 000 children and adults
received lifesaving information from UNICEF on risks awareness and motivating safe behaviour.
All schools of these two oblasts received CDs (example) with info materials, methodological
guidelines on MRE for teachers, developed by the Ministry of Education, and cartoon for
children in primary school aged children, developed by OSCE.
UNICEF received many requests to provide more copies for educational activities. In 2015
UNICEF provided Ministry of Interior of Ukraine 5000 posters and 1500 of disks for distribution
in the schools all over Ukraine; 20 000 of MRE posters and leaflets were sent to Zaporizhya
Oblast branch of State Emergency Service to conduct MRE sessions in the summer camps and
disseminate among schools by the new study year 2015. 5000 posters and leaflets will be
distributed in Dnipropetrovska oblast by Dopomoga Dnipra NGO and by OCHA in
Severodonetsk region. 16 000 posters and leaflets were delivered to the non-government
Materials from partners to be
circulated in the Education
Cluster
You can find UNICEF MRE
materials at:
On the humanitarian response
web-site
(www.humanitarianresponse.in
fo) :
https://www.humanitarianresp
onse.info/en/operations/ukrai
ne/document/unicef-mreposter
https://www.humanitarianresp
onse.info/en/operations/ukrai
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Subject
Discussion
controlled area of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast. YMCA is a partner of UNICEF working in NGCA
of Luhansk oblast, towns Antratsit and Krasniy Luch, providing about 6000 children and school
profeccionals with MRE messages. Now we are working on the brochure for teachers, to help
to conduct MRE lessons. We can share this book when ready.
The surveys reveal that about 25% of people living in Donetsk and Luhansk area have received
the information from and UNICEF posters.
For all the counterparts working in the field of MRE, it is very important to disseminate the
same messages, not to confuse people. We need:
- To stress “Do not touch!” message;
- To discourage children from playing with mines and unexploded ordnances out of
curiosity;
- To emphasize official and unofficial marking systems, but other indicators of
mines/ERW presence as well, since not all hazardous areas in Ukraine are marked,
either officially or unofficially;
- Encourage people to report, by emphasising the SES numbers as well as raising
knowledge and awareness of this number amongst adults;
- To explain people that they can’t run to render the immediate help if they see the
victim
Action points
ne/document/unicef-mrelistovska-parents
https://www.humanitarianresp
onse.info/en/operations/ukrai
ne/document/unicef-mrelistovska
And on UNICEF blogs web-site:
http://blogs.unicef.org.ua/min
e-risk-education-campaign/
Key partners and their role – MRE working group
There are a number of organisations working in the field of MRE in Ukraine at present, who
coordinate their activities via the MRE Working Group held once a month at the DRC/DDG
offices in Kiev. Attendees at this Working Group include:
- UNICEF
- Education Cluster
- OSCE
- ICRC
- FSD
- SES
- DDG
- Handicap International
- YMCA
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Subject
Discussion
Action points
International guidelines for MRE
When discussing international guidelines for MRE, we must distinguish between international
standards for MRE and what we might call ‘best practices.’ The international IMAS 12-10 for
MRE give general standards for MRE, and also general guidelines about its inclusion in a
national school curriculum.
In the absence of a Ukrainian National Mine Action Centre or Authority, which are still being
set up, it is prudent to try and harmonise the MRE messages countrywide to ensure that
international standards are being met anyway – in anticipation of future standards after a
Mine Action Centre is created.
Beyond international standards, there are also ‘best practices’ which ought to be shared
between organisations involved in MRE. An example of this is a general requirement for MRE
teachers not to touch items of empty mines and UXO, or models of them – as this sends a very
contradictory message especially to young children.
Plan for future MRE
DDG would like to report that it has secured a European Union-funded €1.57 million project for
mine action in the eastern oblasts of Ukraine. A key component of this project will be the
extension of MRE activities to cover as many areas as possible within the government-held
areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, via community volunteers and via school teachers.
The second phase of the mines & UXO risk education campaign will include:
- Assessment of the affected communities: identifying potential risks for children;
identifying attitude and risk awareness among target groups
- Development and implementation of the ToT for 100 teachers and school
psychologists on learning sessions on mines and UXO risk education and disability
awareness
- 200 peer educators are trained to ensure the active participation of youth in landmine
and small arms risk education activities and disability awareness
- Three PSAs for parents and young people on mines and UXO risks awareness and
promoting safe practices, disability awareness
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Subject
Discussion
- Information education brochure for parents on key safe practices and UXO risks and
tips how to teach children on safe behavoiur
- Digital engaging campaign on motivating safe behavior among children and teenagers
Action points
Outreach: beneficiaries in Donetsk and Luhansk region include:
 600,000 school aged children and their parents
 200,000 families with children under school
 Teachers and school psychologists from about 1,700 schools
Akhmetov Foundation:
Psychosocial support: have trained 250 crisis psychologists all over Ukraine. They work with
children in NGCA and with IDP children all from Donetsk to Lviv.
There are 8 mobile teams in the psychosocial service of Akhmetov Foundation. They have
covered 24 000 of children and 2000 adults from 2014.
There are a lot of request for these services from schools and kindergartens from the contact
line.
Akhmetov Foundation has developed the coloring book-anti stress.
They are preparing MRE projects which will be available soon. Ready for cooperation.
Save the Children:
Work mostly in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Donetsk oblast (both GCA and NGCA of the
latest)
They will distribute 7000 back-to-school educational kits by the end of September. The kit
contains all that a child may need for a school year. For now the target audience are the pupils
from 5 to 11 year of studies (10-17 y.o.).
Hotline (1000 calls in a month) all over Ukraine. May assess the needs.
OSCE SMM update:
In the Western oblasts there are no significant problems for IDP children to enroll into schools,
even in cases where children do not have required documents.
In government-controlled Krasnogorivka (21km west of Donetsk) schools #1 and #3 are
damaged and closed, and schools #2 and # 5 accepted all the pupils from the closed schools.
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Subject
Discussion
School # 4 is occupied by the armed forces, parents are complaining to the authorities because
they want to have this school re-opened for their children.
Highlights
from
Partners
Partners presented updates
La Strada: Providing PSS trainings for psychologists and 71 persons. La Strada works in 21
oblasts with 400 people in total throughout Ukraine. Las Strada is working with people to
prevent human trafficking, providing PSS trainings for children, mine risk education, prevention
of violence and child abuse.
La Strada also works in summer camps in Vorohta. There were IDPs, orphans and children with
disabilities.
La Strada’s beneficiaries include 66,000 people, 38,000 children, 36,000 adults and teachers in
200 institutions providing PSS for families.
La Strada has a hot line and have received 18,000 phone calls from Lugansk and Donetsk
children (CGA and NGCA). Organizing PSS support and prevention of violence for families in
Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts with support from UNICEF.
La Strafa and the MOES are planning to train 77 teachers to prevent violence in institutions in
11 oblasts of Ukraine. Oblasts are selected according the number of IDPs per oblasts.
Action points
MOES appealed to the
education cluster to seek
solutions and not only focus
on reporting problems.
A21: A21 works on combating human trafficking. Working with institutions and schools.
A21 provided game activities in Krasnogorivka, Zolotomu and Mironivskomu raions.
Volunteers worked under harsh conditions, buildings had no windows and constant shelling
was heard nearby. Children could not leave because of different reasons. A21 organized three
summer camps in Zakarpatiya in Bukovel for IDPs and persons with disabilities. A21 also
conducted 4 day training against human trafficking.
A 21 is working together with psychologists from Save the Children. Developing educational
materials concerning the issues of human trafficking together with the Ministry of Education
and Science using materials from USA, Thailand and South Africa.
SOS Children’s Villages: Working in Kyiv and Lugansk oblast, in Starobilsk with orphans,
children deprived of guardianship, foster families who moved from Lugansk oblast. SoS is also
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Subject
Discussion
working in Brovary, Kyiv and Kyiv-Sviatoshinsky district with 12 orphanages and one foster care
family. We invite guests to Brovary. Conducting projects of strengthening families, families
under difficult conditions, PSS training for IDPs, social support and group trainings. The
problem of social coherence is emerging between IDPs and local families. IDP families are
positioned in the first place and local families are the second. Local families go into decline,
there are cases of child abandonment. We pay attention to educational projects, children
lagging behind in their studies, parent potential. We provide trainings for teachers, orphans,
children deprived of guardianship and trainings on tolerant attitude.
Action points
UNICEF: The representative from Mariupol operates in the part of Donetsk oblast. Schools
are repaired in Mariupol. There is a need to continue supplying of education kits and ECD kits.
The problem of mine risk exists not only near line of contact but also in Donetsk oblast. There
is a case of mine explosion in village Volodarske.
There are economic problems. Children need school supplies because parents can not pay for
them as they could previously.
IDPs need PSS help because of the hostilities. Children need MRE near the contact line.
Children collect things they find in the fields and carry them, which they should not do.
Schools and buildings are damaged, windows are broken, problems with food and water.
Many villages transferred to other administrative raions and there is a lack of resources in
those raions. There are problems with water and heating. Old windows are broken, water
flows from the roof and the building is covered with fungus. Parents are helping whatever
they can. Access for kindergartens is a problem. UNICEF 6,500 children in kindergartens and
3,500 children in schools.
Some schools are used by fighting forces thus schools become military targets. Kindergartens
are not opened, teachers do not get salaries and parents cannot help in this situation. Pavlopil
is a grey zone, a school is not open there. Children have to go to other raions, and it is
dangerous.
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Subject
Discussion
MOES: We have information about schools used by fighting forces, damaged schools, and
failure to pay teachers' salaries. We appeal to the Ministry of Defense and the Ukrainian
Security Service to find other buildings. We cannot resolve this issue by letters. The issue of
salaries should be solved by the Cabinet of Ministers but not the MOES. There are problems in
Mironivsky, Volnovahsky, Svitlodarsky and Artemivsky raions.
Action points
Damaged schools were repaired several times and after hostilities they were damaged again.
We need peace, and we will find money to repair the schools. The MOES appealed to the
education cluster to seek solutions and not only focus on reporting problems.
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