Education Cluster MeetingWednesday 24 September 2008, 14:00h Chatrium Hotel Chair: Marc Wetz, Cluster Co-Lead (UNICEF). Apologies: Shirley Long, Cluster Co-Lead (Save the Children) is on duty travel. 1. Welcome and introduction • 28 participants, including from the MoE Department of Educational Planning and Training (DEPT), and three agencies attending for the first time: Church World Service, Green Care, Terre des Hommes (TDH)-Italy • As the cluster agreed six objectives in a plan of action until December, the agenda for this meeting was structured in line with those topics. 2. Action points from last meeting • Discussions are ongoing on how to strengthen information sharing at all levels, including from the field, from cluster partners, as well as with government agencies. Importantly, this includes discussions with OCHA on a role for its sub-regional hubs. • Most recent MSWRR guidelines on procedures for school reconstruction were posted on the cluster webpage. 3. School rebuilding • The MSWRR has adopted a more formal coordination role for school reconstruction activities. However, the focal person was not available to attend and brief the cluster today because of prior commitments. • A recent meeting on school reconstruction was convened on 16 September by the MSWRR. Thirteen humanitarian agencies had committed for reconstruction of 74 schools by 16 September. Revised guidelines provided at that meeting have been posted on the cluster webpage. • MSWRR is aware of the requirement for additional design inputs from other ministries. As additional designs and specifications become available, they will be posted on the website (eg. Metta Foundation designs). It was noted that more detailed structural plans (VOQ and cost estimation) are required to process tenders. • No one present was aware if any designs other than those of DBE had been agreed. UNICEF technical designs are yet to be finalised. • As discussed in previous cluster meeting, it was agreed that child friendly standards for schools are needed (toilets, air, light, play area, etc). At a time when more partners are expressing interest in rebuilding schools, the cluster needs to advocate for considering schools not only as buildings, but as safe, child-friendly environments for learning. A guidance note has been drafted and will be shared by email requesting comments and inputs from partners (action point). • As it will not be possible to complete reconstruction of all destroyed schools during the coming dry season, TSLS erected may have to serve up to 2 years or more. Tarpaulin (for example) might not last. Therefore there is a need to discuss maintenance with agencies, committees and government. • No specific funding is available through the cluster. However, the need for a more active role for cluster in advocacy for funding in the education sector was noted and acknowledged. The cluster could take known issues to funders and highlight strategies. • In line with current priorities (across agencies, clusters and government) an education Recovery Strategy will need to be formulated. 4. Update from Disaster Preparedness and Response Education (DPRE) Working Group • The working group is active, convened by UNESCO and with participants from 1 Ministry of Education. The third meeting was on 16 September, followed by a UNICEF-supported Education Discussion meeting with DPRE as its theme on 18 September, which working group members attended and made a presentation. The DPRE working group has two main activities: • Develop an advocacy strategy for implementation of DPRE as a priority in all schools nationwide; • Produce a DPRE resource pack (an annotated list of identified materials) for distribution to all schools in affected areas. The pack has five elements: 1. Risk assessment materials and assessing individual capacity (teachers and schools); 2. Emergency preparedness and response plans; 3. Drills and practices; 4. Materials that can be adapted and used; 5. Disaster recovery and support. • The next working group meeting is on 1 October at the Department of Educational Planning and Training (DEPT), with planning of implementation and development of a workplan as the main topics. The group is open for new participants, who are invited to contact Dr Myint Myint San (UNESCO) at mmsan@mptmail.net.mm. Good materials for the resource pack are requested. 5. Other cluster activities • This section today encompasses other objectives stated in the cluster action plan. One such objective is to Strengthen cluster approach at field level through OCHA hubs. Discussions were held in the last week with OCHA colleagues, and Cluster Co- Lead Shirley Long will be more able to brief more fully at the next meeting. 6. Brief updates from agencies / inputs for this week’s sitrep • Islamic Relief is distributing 2,000 sets of school furniture (benches and desks) to 100 schools in Dedaye township, in collaboration with the TEO. Distribution is ongoing daily and expected to be finished within 25 days. • UNDP is concentrating on early recovery and is planning to include school rebuilding, pending approved UNICEF designs. The number of schools is according to available budget. Cluster Co-Lead noted that he will ensure invitation of UNDP to further meetings on school reconstruction at MSWRR (action point). • Save the Children has completed repairs to 185 schools; erected 357 TSLS; has distributed: 51,591 student kits, 461 school kits, 182 games boxes; and provided 358 temporary honorarium payments to teachers in community schools. • Samaritan’s Purse has committed to reconstruct five schools in Pyapon, of which three are already funded, and two are six-classroom high schools. Designs are reinforced concrete, and each includes provision of furniture, playground, WASH. Technical surveys were completed, which made suggestions. Hope to start at the end rainy season and complete three schools by March, and then undertake more. • Salvation Army is looking into providing support to schools in Kawthmu, continuing current distribution to December. Communities have identified needs to upgrade schools and housing. Currently surveying materials and cost. Three schools are proposed for renovation during the November to February period. Sponsors have been identified, but need to consolidate all preparations before starting. • Partners attended the DRR seminar at the Myanmar Engineering Society (announced in the last meeting). Distribution of materials is planned in three townships of Yangon division next week, with supplies from UNICEF. • DEPT is extending the Child Friendly Schools project to five additional townships with the support of UNICEF. ECD and Lifeskills training is ongoing in project townships in cooperation with UNICEF. • The cluster IM Focal Point has been collaborating on sharing information on schools for reconstruction with the DBE. Based on combined, Pcoded data, a summary of 2 schools and locations (at 12 September) has also been posted to the website and provided to MIMU for mapping (in progress). This summary needs to be updated to reflect changes and additional schools (action point). • UNESCO is in continuing discussions with MoE around its proposed projects but is still awaiting approval. UNESCO is convening the 4th DPRE meeting on 1 October at DEPT. • Church World Service (CWS) has identified some schools in Dedaye for support and hopes to start next month. CWS is able to offer 18,000 school kits on behalf of its donor partner. These are still in USA, ready to be shipped. Will share the contents of the kits to the cluster mailing list by email (action point). CSW is looking for consignee and storage space, but if none is forthcoming can help arrange the shipping process. • World Vision has approval for reconstruction of primary schools in Bogale township, and is preparing reconstruction according to the new guidelines. • AMARA plans to reconstruct six primary schools and one high school in Dedaye township, pending cost estimates. • Terre des Hommes (TDH)-Italy is working in 26 villages of Twantay township, particularly in WASH and latrines, and also plans school renovation during the dry season. • IRC was asked by the MSWRR to reconstruct one high school, but has since learned that this will be done by another organisation, and so the number of schools that IRC will reconstruct again stands at two. • UNICEF has covered more than the 2,000 schools planned, and 300,000 Essential Learning Packages (student kits) have been provided to children. As mentioned in the last meeting, UNIMIX blended corn-based nutritious food can be shared with partners. It is designed for children 3-5 years, at a rate of four 25kg bags for six months for 10 children. Supplies of value less than US$ 5,000 can be provided on the basis of a letter of request. For value above US$ 5,000 an MoU and completion report are required. There are also 5-10 big tents available, each holding up to 70 students, 2-classroom size. A lot of 100 such tents has arrived, of which there are already plans to use around 90 for post-primary schools. Agencies aware of uncovered needs (for example in less-covered townships of Yangon division) are invited to contact UNICEF. Most UNICEF supply items have been sent to townships, except for 38,000 plastic chairs that are yet to be delivered. Gaps in coverage are emerging for some of the Southern townships of Yangon division (eg. Twantay, Dala, Kyauktan) especially for furniture and materials. • JICA is still interested in school reconstruction, but no update is yet available. However, a three and a half year agreement for support for education has been signed, with DEPT as counterpart. • Green Care is supporting three schools and is conducting assessments for other locations. Green Care’s local partner also has an agreement with UNICEF for materials. • AMURT is constructing nine permanent schools in Dedaye, and is going to site and village construction committees for surveys. • UN Habitat yesterday finished surveying 50 locations for school reconstruction in Dedaye, Pyapon and Bogale. Although the plan is to construct 40 (maximum 40; minimum 30) schools, some allowances have been made for overlap. Locations will be finalised this week. • Peace Winds Japan plans to rebuild three schools in Dedaye and Bogale, targeting community and monastic schools, using semi-permanent designs with concrete base, bamboo walls and tin roof. Hopes to start project in mid-October. • KNK is still waiting for donor approval of second phase project. KNK is not rebuilding schools, but providing toilets, furniture, and extracurricular activities to 6-14 year-old children. Approval was gained from one branch of DBE for extracurricular activities. • Welthungerhilfe (WHH/GAA) plans to reconstruct seven schools in Bogale pending 3 availability of funding and is keen to engage in discussion with other partners working in Bogale to avoid overlapping. There are no cluster meetings in Bogale, but the UNICEF Education Focal Point, TEO and partners have been meeting locally. Consultation is possible at Yangon and local levels. Consultation with Bogale TEO is also a requirement. 7. AOB • The Monthly Financial Reporting update is a mechanism whereby the humanitarian- aid community can report cumulative expenditure on the response to Nargis by sector (Education), instead of by agency. This information collected by each cluster and forwarded to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator’s office, where it is consolidated by sector and provided to Government. In this way, agencies are not required to provide this information to Government directly. Cluster partners are requested and encouraged to submit expenditure through this mechanism, as it enables cluster and the Humanitarian Coordinator to track spending against projected needs, and preserves anonymity for the agency (if that is a consideration). For the Education Cluster the IM Focal Point collates the information provided, and sends it as a single line for the sector, while sharing the same information back to cluster partners. Agencies are not identified by name, only the number that have reported, among the total number of implementing cluster partners. Cluster Co-Leads and IM focal point would like note their thanks to the 12 agencies that have provided information on cumulative spending for the education response to Nargis up to 31 August 2008 (as well as those in July and August rounds). Given the strategic importance of the exercise, the Cluster Co-Leads also encourage more partners to participate next month. The deadline for the next monthly cycle will be 23 October (and from now onwards is the deadline is the 23rd of the month, for expenditure to the end of the preceding month). • The Education for All Trust is interested in providing school materials to Myanmar. Cluster Lead requested details, but they have many materials available. The email will be circulated to the cluster email list, and partners are requested to identify materials they are interested in, and we can forward a request to the Education for All Trust as a cluster (action point). • UNICEF relayed a message from field level. The Ministry has endorsed provision of teachers for affiliated schools, therefore some additional schools now wish to be registered to get teachers. This can lead to some confusion at township level about the status of schools. Coordination at township level with the TEO remains important, primarily to identify gaps, as well as to avoid duplication. • UNICEF reported that one school in Mawlamyinegyun had been unable to recruit a teacher, and requested any interested partner to contact Dr Aye Aye Yee at UNICEF. 8. Date of next meeting Wednesday 8 October 2008; 2pm, Chatrium Hotel 9. Note: Meeting minutes and additional materials (including those mentioned above) are available at the Education Cluster webpage, on the Myanmar HIC: http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org/education/default.aspx 4