Multiple Faces of Education in Conflict-affected and Fragile Contexts
“The multiple faces of education in conflict-affected and fragile contexts” has been produced by the INEE Working Group on Education and Fragility as part of its current research and advocacy efforts. Written with an eye on the forthcoming World Bank 2011 World Development Report (WDR) on education and violent conflict and the EFA 2011 Global Monitoring Report (GMR) on conflict, security and development, this paper aims to review the most recent literature on education’s complex interfaces with conflict and fragility, and to provide recommendations which could be incorporated in the two reports.
The paper starts by presenting conflict and fragility as potential barriers to education provision. The paper explores how political, social and economic conditions linked to conflict and fragility – including poor governance, violence, repression, corruption, inequality and exclusion – may affect quality, relevance, equity and management in ways which not only reduce education and peace dividends and reverse development gains, but which can also further entrench or exacerbate economic, social or political instability.
Subsequently, the paper illustrates the ways in which education may either exacerbate or mitigate such conditions by looking at issues of access, equity and inclusion, relevance via content and quality, and management, structures and participation.
Finally, the paper concludes with a set of recommendations directed at policy-makers and practitioners. Here it is suggested to:
- recognise the potentially diverse roles of education in conflict-affected and fragile contexts;
- to include an analysis of such roles in the educational planning and sector review processes, and
- to take a holistic perspective of the education system that goes beyond the primary level and which focuses on both access and quality.
