IASC Education Cluster

The Education Cluster within the UN Humanitarian Reform Agenda

Education is an important sector within humanitarian response due to the role education plays in providing physical, psychosocial and cognitive protection to children, adolescents and youth affected and made more vulnerable by crisis; disseminating life-saving messages about environmental and health risks; and facilitating a return to normalcy and overall stability for children, as well as families and communities. Education is also a key sector in early recovery, as education services and infrastructure are often severely impacted by natural disasters as well as conflict-related emergencies.

While not initially included as part of the humanitarian reform agenda's cluster approach, education clusters or sector groups were formed in cluster roll-out countries. This led to a greater understanding and acknowledgment of the value of including education in the cluster approach, as a means to address capacity gaps and bring actors together at country level in order to ensure a more predictable, timely and effective education response, with inter-sectoral links to other relevant clusters/sectors. Click here for background information on the humanitarian reform agenda.

Recognising the importance of consistent, reliable and accountable educational programming in emergencies, the InterAgency Standing Committee (IASC) endorsed the creation of an education cluster. Education has a strong foundation to build on, through the work of the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) on technical tools, information-sharing, capacity-building, and the normative, Sphere-compatible Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic Crises, and Early Reconstruction.

Co-Leadership and Steering Group

UNICEF and the International Save the Children Alliance co-lead the IASC Education Cluster, working in close collaboration with other leading agencies and INEE. UNICEF and Save the Children will provide joint oversight and ensure joint organisational accountability through the IASC Education Cluster Steering Group. The Steering Group chair will rotate on an annual basis, with Save the Children chairing in 2008.

Collaborative Working Groups of representatives from many agencies will take forward various elements of the IASC Education Cluster’s workplan. More information about how INEE members can participate in and feed into the work of these groups will be forthcoming.

IASC Education Cluster Unit

An IASC Education Cluster Unit has been established by the co-lead agencies UNICEF and Save the Children Alliance. The Cluster Unit will be made up of two staff, who will be based in Geneva. The first staff member is already in place; Marilena Viviani, is the UNICEF Education Cluster Coordinator and will be based at UNICEF Geneva. Marilena will soon be joined by Susan Nicolai, who will serve as the Save the Children Deputy Cluster Coordinator, also based in Geneva working from the Save the Children Alliance office there.

The Work of the IASC Education Cluster

UNICEF as lead agency, and Save the Children Alliance as co-lead, have jointly facilitated a three-month gap analysis and strategy development process, working collaboratively with an inter-agency advisory group, and building on the existing INEE network, leading to the submission of a cluster appeal. The members of the Education Advisory Group include UNESCO, WFP, UNHCR, International Rescue Committee, ChildFund International and INEE.

Global and country-level gaps exist in the emergency education sector – in terms of human resources, technical capacity, financial resources and equity of provision, each with global and country-level dimensions. These gaps are due to a lack of human resource capacities and mechanisms for preparedness, response and coordination not keeping pace with the increasing prioritisation of education within humanitarian emergencies, as well as the number of actors and the variety of approaches, lack of standardisation, and gaps in increasingly important technical areas (including psycho-social support, gender analysis, physical re-construction etc.).

The Education Cluster is prioritizing the capacity-building projects included in this Appeal in its first-year work plan.

Click here to read the record from the INEE Cluster Coordinator's Workshop (22-23 September 2008)
Click here to read the record from the INEE Cluster Working Group meeting (24-25 September 2008)

Education Cluster aims to:

• Map gaps and capacities at global and country levels as a basis for targeted improvement of education preparedness and response capacity.
• Establish core capacity at global level to roll-out the cluster approach in the education sector.
• Develop co-ordination capacity and mechanisms for improved education sector response in humanitarian crises, including surge capacity and stand-by rosters.
• Strengthen capacity and preparedness of humanitarian personnel as well as government authorities to plan and manage quality educational programmes in emergencies, through training programmes and further development and dissemination of toolkits (based on the INEE Minimum Standards and the UNESCO/IIEP Guidebook for Planning Education in Emergencies and Reconstruction),
• Develop and test education needs assessment toolkit
• Document and evaluate education responses in selected countries

On 25 April 2007, the United Nations launched a $62.5 million appeal to boost the capacity of the UN and NGOs to respond to emergencies and crises, from the rapid deployment of expert staff to ensuring there are adequate stockpiles of goods available on short notice. The Education Cluster capacity-building projects were included within this appeal.  Click here to review all Education Cluster Project Sheets.

In the coming months, the Global Education Cluster Advisory Group plans to expand into a more inclusive Working Group. Details about joining are forthcoming.

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