Main Barriers to Education
- Conflict & security
- Lack of trained teachers
- Gender discrimination
Interventions to Barriers
- Data maintenance & analysis
- School management & teacher training
- Psychosocial support & alternative curriculum
In a region that has known all too brief episodes of peace and stability since the onset of the MDGs in 2000, some countries have made veritable strides towards universal primary education and the MDGs. Iraq has been unable to outpace its circumstances in this regard. Though the government is committed to providing free quality education (from primary through higher education), strengthening its national education system and building capacity, the challenges afflicting Iraq’s education sector are prevalent. To date – according to UNESCO there are approximately 227,000 Syrian refugee children in the country as a result of the conflict.
In recognition of its challenges, the government has identified pre-service and in-service teacher training, OOSC enrolment, particularly for girls, and developing curriculum specifically for children in crisis-affected areas as priorities.
In an attempt to support Syrian refugee children within Iraq’s borders, EAC has partnered with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. The project specifically seeks to increase access to safe-learning spaces, expand remedial education, and strengthen alternative education programmes for OOSC, as well as construct and rehabilitate learning spaces and support teacher-training initiatives.
Geographic Location: Middle East
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen, Assyrian and Armenian
Projects
EAC Partnership Iraq
The EAC Partnership Iraq project is implemented by the UNESCO's Iraq office and seeks to enroll 30,000 out of school children in four governorates of Iraq in quality primary education programs.
Equitable Access to Education for Out of School Children Affected by the Crisis in Syria
The crisis in Syria is now in its fifth year and every day the risk of a lost generation of children grows. Nearly 14 million children have been affected by escalating conflict. Half of all Syrians are displaced and close to 2 million children have fled for neighboring countries and are living in overcrowded camps, inadequate informal settlements, or host communities, where tensions are rising between refugee and local populations.
Improving Access to Quality and Inclusive Education with Gender Equality for OOSC in Iraq
In partnership, EAC and UNESCO plan to reach and enrol 150,000 of Iraq's most vulnerable OOSC in the governates of Babil, Baghdad, Erbil, Ninewa, Salah Al Din and Thi Qar with quality primary education over the course of three-and-a-half year period.
OOSC under UNHCR’s Mandate are Provided Access to Quality Equitable Primary Education
Since its inception in 2012, EAC and UNHCR have been working together in countries across the globe to increase access to quality primary education for some of the most disadvantaged out of school children. At the moment, the joint Mandate Project is active in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East seeking to enrol an additional 364,857 children.Partners
UNESCO
EAC partnered with UNESCO to help realise Sustainable Development Goal 4 (ensure inclusive and quality education for all), as well as the former Millennium Development Goal 2 (achieve universal primary education). To that end, the two have joined in partnership to implement education interventions in 11 countries to reach OOSC in Asia and the Middle East.
