Education for AdolescentsUNICEF EAP Strategic Framework
Cover photographs (left to right):
(1) © UNICEF/NYHQ2006-1434/Ninfa Bito On 26 August 2006 in the Philippines, (left-right) Cora Buala, 19, assists a girl, who is presenting a drawing she made of an abusive situation she witnessed at school, during a violence-awareness workshop at the Katin-Aran Children’s Center in Roxas City, capital of the central Capiz Province.
(2) Top: © Overclockzone Students from Suthiwararam School visit Overclockzone Exhibition on Science Day, 18 August 2005
(3) Bottom: © UNICEF/NYHQ2006-2573/Giacomo Pirozzi A group of adolescents pore over HIV/AIDS-related reading material at Solomon Islands Parenting As sociation Centre in Honaira, the capital, on Guadalcanal Island.
(4) © UNICEF/NYHQ2009-1834/Susan Markisz An adolescent girl flips through her science notebook during an assembly at La Unión Educational Institute Secondary School in the northern municipality of Lorica in Córdoba Department.
© UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 2010
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CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iv
I INTRODUCTION 1 II. RATIONALE 3 III. STATUS OF ADOLESCENTS IN THE REGION 6
IV. TARGET GROUPS AND OPPORTUNITY 9 i. PrinciplesoftheStrategicFramework 7 ii. Positivepathways 11 • BuildingStrongFoundation 11 • BeingaResource 12 • MakingItWork 13 • SteppingtoSuccess 14 iii. Typologiesofcountriesintheregion 15
V. PRIORITY AREAS OF INTERVENTION 19 i. Identifyingeducationdisparitiesandfillingknowledgegaps 21 ii. Improvingquality:Buildingontheexistingexperienceinprimary(CFS) 22 iii. Exploringalternativeapproachesandnon-formalmodelsoflearning 25 iv. Promotingadolescentparticipationandactivecitizenry 27 v. Educationforwell-beingandbehaviourchange 28 vi. AreasnotrecommendedforUNICEFsupport 28
VI. ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION 31 i. UNICEF’supstreamfocus 31 ii. LinkwithotherMTSPpriorities 31 iii. OneUNandsectorwideapproaches 31 iv. Partnerships 32 v. Gender 33 vi. Migration 34
VII. USING THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 36
BIBLIOGRAPHY 37
AcronymsADAP AdolescentDevelopmentandParticipationAED AcademyforEducationDevelopmentCCA CommonCountryAssessmentCCTs ConditionalcashtransfersCFS Child-friendlyschoolDHS DemographicHealthSurveysDRR DisasterriskreductionEALAS EastAsiaLearningAchievementStudyEAP EastAsiaandthePacificEFA EducationforAllEMIS EducationManagementInformationSystemsGMR GlobalMonitoringReportIAWGCP Inter-AgencyWorkingGrouponChildren’sParticipationLA LearningachievementMDA MidDecadeAssessmentMDGs MillenniumDevelopmentGoalsM&E MonitoringandevaluationMTSP Mid-termStrategicPriorityNER NetenrolmentrateNFE Non-formaleducationNGO Non-governmentalorganizationOECD OrganisationforEconomicCo-ordinationandDevelopmentPISA ProgrammeforInternationalStudentAssessmentSEAMEO SoutheastAsiaMinistersofEducationOrganizationSEL SocialandemotionallearningSIPs SchoolimprovementplansSOLO StructureoftheObservedLearningOutcomeSSA SchoolselfassessmentsSSR Sub-RegionalSynthesisReports(UNESCO)TIMMS TrendsinInternationalMathematicsandScienceStudyUNDAF UNDevelopmentAssistanceFrameworkUNGEI UnitedNationsGirls’EducationInitiativeWASH Water,SanitationandHygiene
vEXECUTIVESUMMARY
TheFrameworkisnotaboutrequestingadditionalfundsorcreatingnewprogrammes.Rather,itencouragestheuseofexistingresources,networks,partnershipsandprojectstoensurethatadolescentsnotonlyreceiveaneducation,butaqualityeducation–onewhichnurturestheiroveralldevelopmentandpreparesthemwithadvancedliteracyandlifeskillsforbetterlifestyleandfuturelivelihoodsinaglobaleconomy.
Rationale Theneedforawell-definededucationstrategyforadolescentsarisesinpartfromthesuccessachievedinboostingprimarynetenrolmentratesinEastAsiaandthePacific(EAP)–whereagreaternumberofchildrenthaneverbeforeareenteringandcompletingprimaryschool.GovernmentsintheregionarenowrequestingthatUNICEFallocatemoreresourcestosecondaryeducation,wherecapacitylags,andoneducatingout-of-schoolyouth,wheredisparitiesaregreatest.
EXECUTIVESUMMARY
Humanrightsareakeymotivatingfactorforthestrategy.Simplyput, adolescents have a fundamental right to an education.ThistenetalsoliesatthecoreofUNICEF’snewAdolescentDevelopmentandParticipation(ADAP)strategy,currentlybeingfinalized.ADAPhighlightseducationandgreaterlearningopportunitiesforadolescentsasaprimeareaforUNICEF,reinforcinghowessentialitisforeducationprogrammestobeclearontheprinciplesandprioritiesforadolescentpopulationsinourprogrammes.
ThecriticaltimestorefertotheFrameworkisatthebeginningofpreparationsforanewCountryProgramme,orwhenplanningforaMid-TermReview,whenevaluationsandassessmentsareundertakentoinformtheseprocesses.
The Strategic Framework is intended to help UNICEF country offices in East Asia and the Pacific determine what their focus and priorities will be in addressing adolescent education, an area that merits a whole new level of attention. It offersa road map for engagement, clustering adolescents into four major groups according to educational status, and singling out potential actions that can empower and encourage these groups to keep learning. While providing detailed direction, the new strategy stresses the need for countries to make their decisions – where to put limited money and manpower – based on carefully compiled evidence, analysis and discourse.
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vi EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
Status of adolescents in the regionEducatingadolescentsisamustforachievingtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs),inparticularGoal3:PromotingGenderEquality.In2005,11of15programmecountriesintheregionfailedtoreachthismilestoneandintenseeffortswillbeneededtoensureasuccessfulturnaroundby2015.WhiletheMDGsfocusonaccess,theissueofquality,orthelackofit,inbothprimaryandsecondaryschools,isofincreasingconcern.Theprivatesectorandhighereducationinstitutionshavecomplainedabouttheweakliteracyandnumeracyskillsofsecondaryschoolgraduates,makingithardforthemtofindjobs.Whilesomecountryofficeshaveshowninnovationandcreativityintheirresponse,theireffortshavenotnecessarilybeencohesiveorstrategic.
AnotherurgentreasonforUNICEFtoinvestintheeducationofadolescentscentresonthedemographicsoftheregionandtherapidlyshrinkingyouthbulge.EastAsia’sabundantsupplyofyoungpeoplehelpedfuelitsimpressiveeconomicgrowthspanningovertwodecades.Butthefallinbirthratesisreducingthis‘demographicbonus’,leadingtoasmallerlabourforcewherefewerworkers
aresupportinganever-expandingpopulationofelders.Overthecomingyears,thequalityoftheworkforce–itsproductivityandefficiency–mustthereforetakecentrestageoverquantity.Achievingthisshiftwillbecontingentonproducingwell-educatedgraduates(andresearchpointsoutthatthelongeronestaysinschool,thegreaterthereturnintermsofincome).
The strategy is built around the crucial role that quality education – both formal and informal - plays in opening up positive pathways, or opportunities for advancement, for young people.
TheFrameworkdiffersfromtraditionaladolescenteducationprogrammesthatarebasedona‘deficitmodel’,thatis,theystressthefailurestobeaddressed(i.e.non-formaleducationfordropouts).
Target groups and opportunitiesUndertheFramework,adolescentsinthisregionaresplitintofourtargetgroupsbasedoneducationalstatus.Eachgroup,througheducation,canhaveimprovedopportunities,orpositivepathways,forthefuture.
TARGET GROUPS
Educational status Positive pathway
Adolescentswhoneverenrolledordroppedoutbeforecompletingprimaryschool(estimatedtonumber70million).
Building Strong FoundationsPositivepathwaysincludefunctionalliteracy,lifeskillsandnon-formaleducation.
Adolescentsenrolledinprimaryschoolwhoareoverage,attendingirregularlyandnotlearning(estimatedtonumber33million).
Being a ResourcePositivepathwayswouldinvolvewaystotapintotheirpotential.
Adolescentswhoareoutofschool,whodroppedoutoflowersecondaryaftercompletingprimary(estimatedtonumber90million).
Making it WorkPositivepathwaysincluderelevantlifeandlivelihoodskills,non-formalsecondaryequivalence,learningclubs,networksandcomputer-basedlearning.
Adolescentsenrolledinlowersecondaryschoolwhoareoverage,attendingirregularlyandnotlearning(estimatedtonumber36million).
Stepping to SuccessPositivepathwaysincludeamorechild-friendlysecondaryschoolexperience.
viiEXECUTIVESUMMARY
In East Asia and the Pacific there are approximately 345 million adolescents (defined as age 10-19) – a pool that constitutes the next generation of workers and parents. It is these future drivers of economic growth and national development that the new regional education strategy aims to reach.
Usingthesetargetgroupdefinitions,programmecountriesarecategorizedaccordingtothesizeoftheiradolescentpopulationineachgrouporcluster(basedonEducationforAllandothernationalestimates).InChina,forexample,alargerproportionofitsadolescentsareinlowersecondaryschoolbutatriskofdroppingout,whileinLaoPDRacriticalmassofyoutharethoseadolescentswhoareenrolledinprimaryschool,butwhoareoverage,underperformingandatriskofdroppingout.Countriesareurgedtofocusononlytwogroupsforinterventions,asopposedtodabblinginallfour,withaclearrationaleforthesechoicesbasedonevidenceanddiscussionwithpartners.
Togetabetterunderstandingofthescope,sizeandcompositionofeachgroup,countryofficesareencouragedtoconductsurveys,situationalanalyses,otherresearchand,ideally,todrilldownfordisaggregateddata(bygender,urban/rural,ethnicity,socio-economicstatus,etc).Themorefactstheyhaveathand,thebetter-positionedcountryoffices(andultimatelypartnersandgovernments)willbetofinetunetheirresponseandpickthemostappropriatecourseofactiontocreatethedesiredpositivepathways.
Priority Areas of interventionAsameansofguidingcountryofficesinchoosinganappropriatecourseofaction,orinterventions,forthesedifferenttargetgroups,fivePriorityAreashavebeenidentified:
1. Identifyingeducationdisparitiesandfilling knowledgegaps2. Improvingqualityinformalschools,building onexperienceswithChild-FriendlySchools (CFS)3. Supportingalternativeapproachesand non-schoolmodelsoflearning4. Promotingadolescentparticipationand activecitizenry5. Educationforwell-beingandbehaviour change.
Thecoreprinciplesofyouthparticipationandholisticdevelopment(emphasizingsocialandemotionallearning)underpinthechoiceoftheseareas,whichcouldbeusedinspecificwaysbasedonthetargetgroupbeingaddressed.Theotherfactorsplayingadecisiveroleinselectinginterventionsare:theuseofbothformalandnon-formaleducationapproaches;innovativetechnologies,andagreateremphasisonthequalityofupperprimaryschooland/orlowersecondaryschooloveraccess.Thestrategynotablycounselscountryofficesagainsttraditionalvocationaleducationcentres,large-scaleconstructionofsecondaryschools,curriculumrevision,conditionalcashtransfersandincentives,anduppersecondaryandhighereducation.
Issues for considerationCarefulattentionhasbeengiventoincorporatingkeycross-cuttingissues,includinggender,educationinemergenciesandmigration.IntermsofMTSPFocusArea5,theFrameworkgivesprideofplacetobuildingastrongevidence-basethroughresearch,acutting-edgeassetthatcanhelpleverageresourcesfrompartners,provideasophisticatedplatformforadvocacyandultimately,influencepolicyandplanning.
TheneedtolinkadolescenteducationwithotherMTSPpriorities(suchashealthandHIVandAIDS)tomaximizeresultsisfullyembraced.Toguardagainsttheriskofdifferentprogrammesectorsworkingwiththesameadolescentgroupsindisparateandunsustainableprojects,thestrategyemphasizestheneedforclosecoordinationandwherenecessary,jointplanning.
AsregardsUNandsector-wideapproaches,thereisplentyofscopeforcross-fertilization.WorkdonebyUNICEFinadolescenteducationcanbenefitcountriesforwhomyouthareaprioritytargetgroupwhilethecullingofdisaggregateddataonsecondary,non-formal
viii EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
andout-of-schoolpopulationsshouldbeaquidproquoforSituationAnalysesandtheCommonCountryAssessmentforUNDAF.TheFrameworkalsorecognizesthepivotalrolesplayedbymanydifferentpartnersandpartnershipsatnational,regionalandlocallevels–rolesthatwillhelpdetermineUNICEF’scomparativeadvantageindecidingwheretobestputitsstrategicfocus.
Successofthenewstrategywillbemeasuredbyhow,andtowhatextent,countriesinthisregionmakeuseofit.TheFrameworkprovidesablueprintforstructuredandcohesiveaction.Itleansheavilyonresearchandanalysistopinpointprioritiesandtargets.Ultimately,itsraison-d’etreistoencouragethedevelopmentofinnovativequalityeducationforadolescentswhoseuntappedpotentialisoneofourregion’sgreatestassets.
1INTRODUCTION
AdolescenceAdolescenceisdefinedbytheUNastheperiodofliferangingfrom10-19yearsofage(includingthefirstyearofadulthood).Educationforadolescents,however,doesnotnecessarilyentailpost-primaryinterventions.Manyadolescentsintheregionhaveneverbeenenrolledinschoolorhavedroppedoutaftersporadicattendanceinpoor-qualityprimaryschoolsforseveralyears.Suchadolescentspossessonlyrudimentaryliteracyandnumeracyskillsandrequirespeciallydesignedopportunitiestolearn.
AdolescentscurrentlyenrolledintheformalschoolsystemcanbefoundanywherefromGrades1and2throughtouppersecondaryschools,universitiesandvocationaleducationcentres.Non-formalandnon-academicchannelsofstudy,includinggovernmentandnon-governmental(NGO)educationcourses,privateschools,governmentextensioncourses,web-basedanddistancelearning,
on-the-jobtraining,professionalnetworksandinformallearningclubs,andinternvolunteerarrangements,areallbeingsupportedthroughouttheregion.Such‘non-formal’coursesandprivatesector-organizedstudyareusuallycarriedoutwithoutregistration,qualityassuranceorcoordinationwithgovernmentauthorities.
Fromasociologicalperspective,theperiodofadolescenceisviewedasatimeoftransitionandrisk.Allteenagersexperiencegrowthspurtsandhormonalsurgesthatpotentiallycontributetoerraticandimpulsivebehaviour.Accidentsandinjuries,oftenquiteavoidable,arethemajorcauseofdeathintheregionforadolescents.Whilecertaintypesofrisk-takingareencouragedaspartofactivelearningintheclassroom,riskybehavioursduringadolescence,suchassmokinganddrugabuse,canhavelife-longandnegativeconsequences,includingunplannedpregnancyandinfectionwithHIV/AIDS.
This note proposes a Strategic Framework for UNICEF’s engagement with adolescent education in the East Asia and Pacific region. This Framework was first introduced as a Concept Note in late 2007, with several desk reviews and research papers commissioned and regional meetings organized as part of the process. The Strategic Framework does not attempt to categorize countries according to economic, geographic and socio-cultural typologies. Rather, countries are clustered based upon an analysis of the educational status of their adolescents. Four main target groups and five prioritized areas of action are detailed below to guide country offices in defining their national approach to adolescent education.
I. INTRODUCTION
©UNICEF/NYHQ2006-2575/GiacomoPirozzi
2 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
Concernoverfamilyeconomicsandthefutilityofgraduatingfromschoolwithnoprospectsofemploymentalsoweighsheavilyontoday’syoungpeople(UNICEF,2008).Pervasivemediaandelectroniccommunicationhascompoundedtheriseofcommercialism,buildingaglobalyouthculturebasedonconsumerismandMTVthatvaluescreatestensionsbetweenadolescentsandtheirfamiliesandwiththetraditionalvaluesofsocietyasawhole(UNICEFEAPRO,2005).
Adolescentsareinaperiodoflifealsomarkedbypositiveenergy,idealismandabeliefinthepossibilityofchangingtheworld.Anystrategytodevelopyoungpeoplemustbuildonthesepositivecapacitiesandadolescents’abilitytoengageasactivepartnersintheirowndevelopment(IAWGCP,2008).
Principles of the FrameworkAsakeyprinciple,theFrameworkisinharmonywiththeUNICEFglobalADAPStrategyandthethreeE’s:Educationwithqualityandrelevance;Enablingandprotectiveenvironments;andEngagementthroughparticipationandcivicaction(UNICEFADAP,2009).Morespecifictothenewregionalstrategyarethefollowingfourprinciples:
1. Theessentialnatureofparticipation,andthe foundationalrolethisrightplaysinmaximizing thequalityandeffectivenessofeducation.2. Thepositiveyouthdevelopmentapproach, whichbuildsself-confidence,recognizes strengthsandensuressupportivelearning environments.3. Encouragementofbothformalandnon- formalapproaches,usingalternativelearning systems,appropriatetechnologyand innovativetutoring.4. Thequalityofupperprimaryand/orlower secondaryisofgreaterprioritythanaccess.
3RATIONALE
II. RATIONALE
The need for a Strategic Framework for adolescent education in East Asia and the Pacific is prompted to some degree by the success of Education for All (EFA) and the progress made with primary enrolment rates in countries throughout the region. EAP can boast a primary net enrolment rate of 94 percent. Attention has now shifted from getting young children into school to keeping them there longer and making sure they learn. Increasing numbers of countries in the region have extended their definition of ‘compulsory basic education’ from six years of primary to nine years, including completion of lower secondary education. China, Mongolia, Thailand, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are among the countries in the region that have extended basic education to include lower secondary (EFA Global Monitoring Report (GMR), 2008). Governments in the region are requesting that UNICEF country offices place greater attention on post-primary education and out-of-school youth, and while responses to date may be innovative and focused, they are not cohesive nor necessarily of a strategic nature.
UNICEF’snewADAPStrategy,stillindraftform,hasidentifiedthreeE’sastheorganization’scoreapproachforpromotingADAPglobally.Thethree E’sare:i) Educationandlearningopportunitiesof qualityandrelevance;ii) Enablingandprotectiveenvironment–with thefocusongenderandmarginalization;andiii) Engagementthroughparticipationandcivic action.
TheglobalADAPStrategyunderscoreseducationandexpandedlearningopportunitiesasacoreelementintheorganization’sengagementwithadolescents.ThusitisimperativethateducationprogrammesbeclearonprinciplesandprioritiesforaddressingtheeducationalrightsofadolescentsinthecontextofUNICEF’smandateandcomparativeadvantage.
ThecurrentUNICEFEducationStrategy,2006-2015,alsohasthreeprioritythemes(alsocalledthethree E’s),whichare:i) Equal accesstouniversalprimary;ii) Empowermentthroughgirls’education andgendermainstreaming;andiii) Emergenciesandpost-crisiseducation.
ThroughthesethreeE’sruntwocross-cuttingprioritythemes–earlychildhooddevelopmentandenhancingqualityatprimaryandsecondarylevels.TheEducationStrategyemphasizesthroughouttheimportanceofadolescents.Thechild-friendlyschool(CFS)frameworkisusedtoanalysepotentialareasforsupportintermsofqualityatthesecondarylevel,includingprotectiveenvironments,sanitationandhealth,children’sparticipationandthelinksbetweenschoolsandcommunities.TheEducationStrategyalsorecognizesthatbothformaland
©UNICEF/NYHQ2000-0156/ShehzadNoorani
4 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
non-formalapproacheswillberequiredtoensurequalityeducationisavailableforchildren(UNICEF,2007).ThisissupportedbytheMTSP,whichstressesthat“reachingadolescentsisimportant,asthisistheagewhenlifeskills-basededucationiscritical.UNICEFwillbegintoacquireexperienceinsecondaryeducation,especiallyforgirls,withaviewtoextendingsuchcooperationinfutureplanperiods”(MTSP2006-2013).
TheMDGs,especiallyindicatorsunderGoal3:PromotingGenderEquality,areexplicitlyfocusedonbothprimaryandsecondaryeducation.Ascanbeseenin
Table1below,formanyEAPcountries,the2005goalofgenderparitywasnotachievedatthesecondarylevel,withincreasinggenderdisparitiesbeingfoundtothedisadvantageofboys.Genderparityandequalityinsecondaryeducationwillnotbeachievedby2015withouturgentandintenseeffortsoverthesixyearsremaining.Outof15programmecountriesintheregion,11didnotachieveMDGGoal3in2005duetolowlevelsofgenderparity.ForGoal2:AchievingUniversalPrimaryEducation,mostcountrieshavereacheduniversalprimaryenrolment(ifuniversalisdefinedas95percent)butfewhaveattainedthe95percentprimarysurvivalrate,andcouldthereforebe
Countries
Goal 2: Achieving Universal Primary Education
Goal 3: Promoting Gender Equality
Primary NER (>95%)
Primary completion rate (>95%)
Achieve 2005 MDG Goal 2
Primary Gender Parity
for gross enrolment
(GPI 0.97-1.03)
Secondary Gender Parity
for gross enrolment
(GPI 0.97-1.03)
Achieve 2005 MDG Goal 3
Cambodia 90 *85 No 0.93 0.79 No
China **107.89 – – 0.99 1.01 Yes
DPRKorea – – – – – –
Indonesia 96 *99 Yes 0.96 1.00 No
Kiribati ***97 *125 Yes 1.01 1.14 No
LaoPDR 84 *77 No 0.89 0.78 No
Malaysia 100 *98 Yes 1.00 1.1 Yes
Mongolia 91 *110 No 1.02 1.12 No
Myanmar 100 70 No 1.01 1.00 Yes
PapuaNewGuinea
– – – 0.84 – –
Philippines 91 *94 No 0.99 1.11 No
Solomon 62 0.96 0.84 No
Thailand 94 *101 No 0.95 1.09 No
Timor-Leste 68 *69 No 0.92 1.00 No
Vanuatu 87 – – 0.97 0.86 No
VietNam ***95 – – 0.94 0.96 No
Table 1: List of countries’ achievements for MDG 2: Achieving Universal Primary Education and MDG 3: Promoting Gender Equality
Sources:GMR2009 * WorldBankdatabase ** EFAMDA *** childinfo.org
5RATIONALE
consideredtohavemissedthe2005Goals.WhiletheMDGsaremorefocusedonaccessthenquality,governmentsinEAPareplacingincreasingimportanceonoutcomes,includingthequalityofgraduatescompletingprimary.Thisismotivatedbycomplaintsfromtheprivatesectorandhighereducationinstitutionsthattheskillsofsecondaryschoolgraduates,withlowlevelsofliteracy,numeracyandcriticalthinking,arenotinlinewithmarketdemands(SEAMEO,2008).
AnotherregionallyspecificrationaleforUNICEFinvestingresourcesintheeducationofadolescentsinvolvesthedemographicsoftheregionandtherapidlydiminishingyouthbulge.The‘demographicbonus’associatedwithincreasingnumbersofproductiveageworkersisproventopayoffintermsofeconomicgrowththroughabiggerworkforceandhigherdomesticsavings.Thisisbasedonefficiencyfactorsofthepopulationandgovernmentpolicies,butithascertainlyworkedwellforEastAsiaoverthepast20years.However,withrapidlydecliningbirthratesandanagingpopulation,countriesarenowfacingashortenedperiodof‘demographicbonus’,withfeweryoungpeoplelefttoearnfortheirelders.Japan,RepublicofKorea,China,Singapore,VietNamandThailandareallfacinganendtotheir‘demographicbonus’andattentionmustshiftfromthequantityoftheirlabourforcetogreaterefficiencyinitsuse.This,inturn,isextremelydependentonyoungpeoplereceivingagoodeducationandopportunitiesforcontinuedlearning.Withthedisappearingyouthbulge,countrieswillrequiregreaterproductivityfromfutureworkforces–anissueofprimeconcerntoeducationandfinanceministersandtheprivatesector(Hozumi,2009).
Therehasbeensignificantresearchontheimportanceofeducationfromaneconomicstandpoint,showing,amongotherresults,thatthelongeronestaysinschool,thegreaterreturnintermsofincome.Whereasprimarycompletionwasawatershedforsocio-economicstatusinthe1980’sandearly1990’s,todayimpactsarefeltforeachyearofsecondaryeducationcompleted(Haversak,2008;WorldBank,2007).Forgirls,thebenefitsofeducationaretremendous.Adirectcorrelationbetweenyearsofschoolingandageofmarriage,riskofHIVinfection,numberofchildrenandthesurvivalandhealthoftheirchildrenhasbeenextensivelydocumented.AEDhascompiledasubstantialbodyofresearchonthebenefitsofsecondaryeducationforgirls,whichalsoincludeselementsofempowerment,socialengagementandvoice,economicstatus,familysize,childhealthandeducationandunwantedpregnancy(AED,2005;UNGEI2007;EFAGMR,2007).
Withlimitedresources,UNICEFCountryProgrammesintheregionmustbeabletostrategicallyengageinpolicyadvocacyandpilotsforupstreamleveragingofresourcesinnon-formalandlowersecondaryeducation.Countryofficesneedtomakestrategicchoicesonwheretofocustheirsupport,realizingthattherewillnotbeadditionalfundsmadeavailablefornewadolescenteducationprogrammes.ThisStrategicFrameworkhasbeenpreparedtoprovideUNICEFcountryofficesinEAPwithabasisforcarryingoutananalysisoftheirowncontextsinordertoprioritizeadolescentpopulationsandareasofintervention–especiallyduringCountryProgrammepreparationandMid-TermReviewprocesses.
6 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
Schoolgraduatesshowlowlevelsofmath,literacyandlanguageskillsaswellasweakcriticalthinking,problemsolvingandreasoningskills(GMR2009).Figure1showsresultsoftheProgrammeforInternationalStudentAssessment(PISA)examforage-12students,comparingperformancesinreadingandmath.OnecanfindThailandandIndonesiaontherightwiththeproportionofchildrenscoringwellunderbasiccomprehension,whiletheOECDaverageisthirdfromtherightandthescoresfromOECDcountriesinAsiaandthePacificincludedontheleft(OECDPISA,2006).
Nationalfigures,suchasthoseinFigure1,oftenmasktremendousdifferencesanddisparitiesatsub-nationallevelsandbetweendifferentgroupswithinacountry.Atpresenthowever,PISAandTrendsinInternationalMathematicsandScienceStudy(TIMMS)studiesarenot
structuredtoprovidedisaggregateddataandonlyoffernationalfiguresdisaggregatedbysex,fornationalcomparisons.BetterdisaggregateddataonadolescenteducationcanbefoundintheEducationManagementInformationSystems(EMIS)ofmostcountries,especiallyaroundenrolmentrates.InIndonesia,forexample,therearemajorsub-nationaldisparitiesinsecondaryenrolmentwhichcanbereferredtowhenmakingplansandpolicies.Whilethenationalsecondarygrossenrolmentrate(GER)rateforIndonesiawas102.2percentin2005(GMR2008),wefindratesaslowas60percentinEastNusaTenggaraandEastPapua3,andashighas118.8percentinWestNusaTenggara,wheremanynon-residentchildrenareenrolledinbothpublicandprivateschools.Whensuchfiguresarelinkedtopopulationdata,welearnthattheremaybeuptoninemillionsecondaryschool-agechildren
III. STATUS OF ADOLESCENTS IN THE REGIONThe most recent EFA GMR has estimated that there are 176 million1 primary school-age children aged 6-11 (depending on each country) in East Asia and the Pacific with another 216 million2 aged 12-17. Using these figures as a basis, we estimate that there are approximately 345 million adolescents aged 10-19 years living in East Asia and the Pacific. While the region could boast a primary net enrolment rate of 93 per cent in 2006, only 79 per cent of the primary cohort who enrolled could survive and actually complete the full primary cycle. This means that there are many millions of adolescents in the region whose rights to literacy and a basic education have been denied. For those remaining in school, the quality of what the region’s inefficient and ineffective education systems produce is equally disturbing.
1GlobalMonitoringReport2009,p.30622GlobalMonitoringReport2009,p.3303MoNEandMoRASchoolsDatabase©UNICEF/NYHQ2008-0568/AdamDean
7STATUSOFADOLESCENTSINTHEREGION
100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
-40
-60
-80
-100
18.3
81.773.9 76.3 75.7
66.8 65.8 65.6 67.159.6
703
58.1
69.2
57.157.5
21.9 20.612.7
7.1
26.1 23.7 24.333.234.2 34.432.9
30.4
29.7
41.9
30.8
42.9 42.5
78.1 79.487.3
92.9
Reading Level 3 and Above Reading Level 2 and Below Math Level 3 and Below Math Level 2 and Below
Indonesia
Republicof Korea
Hong Kong,China New Zealand Australia
Japan Macau,China
OECDAverage
ThailandPer
cen
tag
e o
f st
ud
ents
at
each
pro
fici
ency
leve
l on
rea
din
g a
nd
mat
h s
cale
Figure 1: Learning achievement: Proficiency levels for reading and math in the East Asia and Pacific region, 2006
Sources:OECDPISAdatabase2006
Map 1: Gross enrolment ratio in secondary education in Indonesia by province, 2005
Sources:IndonesiaMoNEandMoRASchools
West Nusa Tenggara118.8 East Nusa Tenggara
61.1
East Papua62.6
� EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
(13-18years)notenrolledinsecondaryschoolclusteredacrossthearchipelago.Furtheranalysisandreviewofthesub-populationsmakingupthisninemillioncaninfluencedecisionsoneducationbudgetsandstrategicprioritiesatcentralanddecentralizedlevelsofgovernment.
Ifwelookbeyondeducationindicatorssuchasgrossenrolmentaboveandtheimmediateschoolenvironment,weseeaverychallengingregioninwhichadolescentsliveandtrytonegotiatetheirfuture.Over50percentofadolescentdeathsarecausedbyunintentionalinjuries,withtrafficaccidentsanddrowningthetwomostcommoncauses.Boysarefarmoreatriskthangirlsforunintendedinjury,althoughforself-inflictedinjury,girlsareatgreaterriskthanboysintheEAPregion.Infact,forgirlsaged20-24years,theleadingcauseofdeathisintentionalinjury(suicide)(Blum,2009).HIVpositive-relatedillnessisthesecondleadingcauseofadolescentdeathsintheregion,withinfectiousdiseasesandhomicide/waralsofiguringprominently.Adolescentsexualityhasbeenchangingrapidlyintheregion,withtheageoffirstsex(sexualdebut)droppingastheageofmarriageincreases,drasticallyincreasingthelevelsofpremaritalsex.AsBlumhaspointedout,anunintendedoutcomeofeducationisadelayintheageofmarriagebutnotachangeinsexualbehaviours.Asaconsequence,alaterageofmarriagehasresultedinmorepremaritalsexandwithitanincreaseinpre-maritalpregnancy.Forthosein
school,pregnancyoftenputsanendtotheireducationevenwhereillegalabortionbecomesanoption.Andlegalornot,adolescentsaremorelikelytoresorttounsafeabortionproviders.Globally,itisestimatedthatone-thirdofallmaternaldeathsareduetoabortioncomplications(Blum,2009).
Theurban-ruraldivideisgrowing,asmorefamiliesmigrateintourbanareas(oracrossborders)foremploymentoreducationalopportunities.Thoseleftbehindfaceagreaterriskofmarginalization,povertyandadverseeffectsontherightsoftheirchildren.Allcountriesintheregionhaveseentremendousrisesinurbanpopulationsoverthepast15years,withtheimpactonfamilystructuresandsocialnormsdirectlyinfluencingadolescentbehaviours.Howstudentsfeelabouttheirschool,theirschool‘connectedness’,directlycorrelateswithschoolperformance(attendance,completionandlearningachievement),aswellaswithothersocialbehaviours,includingalcoholuse,smoking,premaritalsexandpregnancy(BlumandLibby,2004).WhilethesefindingsarefromstudiesintheUnitedStates,similarresearchhasbeguninEAP,questioninghowstudentsfeelabouttheirpeersandadultsinschool,iftheyfeelsafe,apartofsomething,treatedfairlyandarehappy.ResearchbytheOECDhasfoundthatschoolsinSouthKoreashowthelowestlevelsofstudentconnectednessandlikingforschoolamongstallOECDcountries(Innocenti,2007).
9TARGETGROUPSANDOPPORTUNITIES
i. Principles of the Strategic FrameworkForthepurposesofthisFramework,adolescentsintheregionhavebeenclusteredintofourtargetgroups,basedontheircurrenteducationalstatusanddefinedbythetypeofpositivepathwaysthateducationcanopenupforthem.Thesefourgroupsandtheircorrespondingpathwaysare:
1. Adolescentswhohaveneverattendedprimaryschoolorwhodroppedoutbeforecompletion.Forthisgroup,organizedlearningaroundfunctionalliteracy,lifeskillsandnon-formaleducationwillprovidetheopportunityfor‘Building Strong Foundations’.
2. Adolescentswhoarecurrentlyenrolledinprimaryschool,butwhoareoverage,attendingirregularly,repeatinggradesand/ornotlearning–inotherwords,thosewhosepotentialisbeingleftuntappedbyschool.Thisgroupisreferredtohereas‘Being a Resource’inrecognitionoftheircapacitytocontributepositivelyinschool.
3. Adolescentswhoareoutofschool,havingdroppedoutoflowersecondary.Organizedlearning,includingrelevantlifeandlivelihoodskills,non-formaleducation(NFE)certificationandsecondaryequivalence,learningclubs,networksandcomputer-basedlearningwouldprovidethemwithopportunitiesforimprovedlivelihoods.Fortheseadolescents,educationwouldprovidethebasisfor‘Making It Work’.
4. Adolescentswhoareenrolledinlowersecondaryschoolbutwhoareoverageand/ornotlearninginovercrowdedandunder-resourcedinstitutions.Forthisgroup,amorechild-friendlysecondaryschoolexperiencewouldprovidetheopportunityfor‘Stepping to Success’,completinglowersecondaryandmakingthetransitiontocontinuedlearning.
Traditionaladolescenteducationprogrammestendtohighlightthespecificformofdisadvantageorthetypeoffailuretobe
IV. TARGET GROUPS AND OPPORTUNITIESIn this Framework, we stress the important roles that education plays in opening up positive pathways to learners and the opportunities that both literacy and the participation in quality education can bring to young people.
©UNICEF/NYHQ2000-0137/ShehzadNoorani
10 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
addressed,basedonso-calleddeficitmodels.Thiswould,forexample,callfornon-formaleducationforilliterateadolescentsanddropouts,‘special’subjecttracksforslowlearners;specialconsiderationsforadolescentswithdisabilities;and/orspecialschoolsforjuveniledelinquents.Ifviewedasapositivepathway,however,educationmustplaceparticipation,andtherightswhichsurroundthisfundamentalprinciple,attheheartoflearning.Thisistruenotonlyregardingadolescentparticipationinclassroompractices,learningmethodologiesandstudent-ledorganizations,butalsotheirparticipationinmanagement,monitoringandtheplanningofschoolsandlearningcentres.Byframingthetargetgroupsaspositivepathways,theopportunitiesthateducationopensupforadolescentsbecomesthefocusofprogrammes,ratherthanfocusingonthefailuresthatneweducationalapproacheshopetoredress.AscanbeseeninFigure2,wehavetakenthesefourtargetgroupsandtriedtoquantifythem,basedondataderivedfromtheEFAGMR2008.
Out of School In school but not learning Students in school and learning well
83 81
70
55
4845 43
35
24
12
Stepping to Success: In lower secondary but at risk of drop out and non-learning = 36 million
Being a Resource: Overage, in primary school and not learning = 33 million
Making It Work: Out of school, completed primary but not lowersecondary education = 90 million
Building Strong Foundation: Never enrolled in school or Primary school drop out = 70 million
Representspercentageof age group enrolled in school
Age in years
Inthegraphabove,thehorizontalaxisistheageofadolescents(10-19years)whiletheverticalaxisisthepercentageenrolledinschool.Thedarklinefallingfrom87percentfor10-year-oldsontheleftto12percentontherightisgradenetenrolment,withthedarkbluesectionaboverepresentingtheout-of-schoolpopulation.Theyellowsectioninthemiddlerepresentsthoseadolescentsinschoolbutoverage,attendingirregularlyand/ornotlearning,whichisestimatedat40percentofallchildrenenrolledinformalschoolsintheregion.BasedonPISA,TIMMSandotherspecializedexamresults,thepercentageofchildrennotlearningwhileinschoolwouldbemuchhigherinmanyEAPcountries.TheEFAGMRreportsthatthereare176millionchildrenaged6-11yearsand216millionaged12-17.Fromthesefigures,wehaveestimatedthatthetotalnumberofadolescentsintheregionis345million,orapproximately34millionperagecohort(higherforyoungerages).DeterminingthescopeofthefourtargetgroupswasalsobasedonprojectionsderivedfromtheEFA
Source:EFAGMRyear
Figure 2: Estimated cohort participation and performance in education, East Asia and Pacific region, NER and participation
11TARGETGROUPSANDOPPORTUNITIES
Target group Number of adolescents
Building Strong FoundationsAdolescentswhoneverenrolledordroppedoutbeforecompletingprimaryschool
70 million
Being a ResourceAdolescentsenrolledinprimaryschoolwhoareoverage,attendingirregularlyandnotlearning
33 million
Making it WorkAdolescentsoutofschool,whodroppedoutoflowersecondaryaftercompletingprimary
90 million
Stepping to Success Adolescentsenrolledinlowersecondaryschoolwhoareoverage,attendingirregularlyandnotlearning
36 million
GMR,especiallygrade-specificNERandtransitionrates.Certainly,regionalfiguresaregrossestimatesandopentoconsiderabledebateandrecalibrationofformulas,butthereisnodoubtastotherelevanceandutilityofthesecategoriesinconductingsituationalreviewsonadolescenteducation.
Asituationanalysisonadolescenteducationcanhelpmoreclearlydeterminethescope,compositionandcharacteristicsoftheserelativelyunknowngroups.Whilesuchexercisesatthenationallevelwouldbeofgreatinterest,therealtractioncomeswhencountriesbegintodisaggregateandanalysethesegroupsandtheirsub-populationsfurther–drillingdownintoeachbygender,urban/rural,sub-nationalboundaries,ethno-linguisticgroupsandsocio-economicquintiles.Suchanalysisallowsgovernmentsandtheireducationpartnerstobetterunderstandwherethegreatestnumbers,disparitiesandbottleneckslie,andwhereaninformedresponseismostrequired,intermsofpolicies,resourcesandservices.
AgoodexampleofdrillingdowncomesfromUNICEFCambodia,whichwasinterestedinknowingmoreaboutadolescenteducationfortheMid-TermReview.UNICEFCambodia
(usingexistingdata)dividedthefirstgroup,BuildingStrongFoundations,intotwogroups:adolescentswhoneverenrolledinprimaryschoolorwhodroppedoutbeforecompletingthreeyears,andadolescentswhocompletedmorethanthreeyearsbutfailedtocompletethefullcycle.Thissplitacknowledgesanimportantdistinctioninliteracyanddiscourse-relatedskillswhichfouryearsofschool-basedsocializationandlearningprovides.
AscanbeseeninFigure3,theproportionofnever-enrolledadolescents(thebottomlayerinblue)isveryhighforsix-,seven-andeight-year-olds,decreasingsignificantlyamongstupthroughage11,indicatinglate-ageenrolment.Thelargestlayeristhoseenrolledinprimaryschool.However,nearly80percentof13-year-oldsareenrolledinprimaryschool,when,inreality,correct-ageenrolmentfor13-year-oldsislowersecondaryschool,althoughonly3percentof13-year-oldsareactuallyenrolledinlowersecondaryschool.TheCambodiaDHS2008surveyalsoreviewedtrendsinprimaryschooldropout,primarycompletionandentryintosecondary.Basedonthesefindings,wecanestimatethatsome500,000adolescentsinCambodia,or14percentoftheadolescentpopulation,hasneverenrolledinschoolorhas
12 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%6 yrs 7 yrs 8 yrs 9 yrs 10 yrs 11 yrs 12 yrs 13 yrs 14 yrs 15 yrs 16 yrs 17 yrs 18 yrs 19 yrs
Enrolled in upper secondary school and higherOut of school, have completed upper secondary and higherEnrolled in lower secondary schoolOut of school, have completed lower but not upper secondaryEnrolled in preschool or primary schoolOut of school, with four of more years schooling but not completing lower secondaryOut of school, never enrolled or less than four years of schooling (illiterate or with basic literacy)
Figure 3: Schooling status, ages 6-19 years, Cambodia, 2005
Source:CDHS,2005
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
28.1
42.7
29.0
37.6
36.1
26.2
32.8
39.5
27.6
Primary
Not in school
Secondary
Male Female Total
Figure 4: Schooling status of children of secondary school age (ages 12-17), Cambodia
Source:CDHS,2005
13TARGETGROUPSANDOPPORTUNITIES
droppedoutbeforecompletingprimaryschool(BuildingStrongFoundations),andmustrankasakeypriorityforanyrights-basedadolescenteducationstrategy.Another410,000,or12percentofthepopulation,areenrolledinprimaryschoolbutareoverage,notlearningand/oratriskofdroppingout(BeingaResource).Ofthe29percentofthepopulationenrolledinsecondaryschool,basedoncompletionrates,over50percentareathighriskofdroppingoutandnotlearning.
Figure4showsthebreakdownofCambodia’sadolescentpopulationaged12-17,with27.6percentinsecondary,39.5percentstillinprimaryand32.8percentwhohavedroppedoutoftheformalschoolsystem.Deeperanalysisfoundthatthereisnotmuchdifferenceinthegendercompositionofthesetwogroups,butbigdisparitiesexistintermsofsocio-economicstatusandrural/urbanlocation,withhigherlevelsofpoorandruraladolescentsoutofschoolorstillinprimary,overageandnotlearning.
Countriesareencouragedtoundertakesimilarexercisestodeterminethescopeandnatureof
thefourtargetgroupsandtoengageindebateoverwhichgroupandaccompanyingpositivepathwaysrequireprioritization.Forexample,atthenationallevel,ChinawouldfindalargerproportionofadolescentsintheSteppingtoSuccessgroup(thoseinlowersecondaryschoolwhoarenotlearningandareatriskofdroppingout),andinMakingItWork(adolescentswhohavedroppedoutoflowersecondaryschool).InCambodiaandLaoPDR,ontheotherhand,wefindfargreaternumbersofadolescentsinBuildingStrongFoundations(thosethathavedroppedoutorneverenrolledinprimary),andinBeingaResource(inprimarybutoverage,atriskofdroppingoutandnotlearning).Countriesarenotencouragedtodabbleinallfourgroups,buttoseriouslyprioritizebasedonaclearrationaledevelopedthroughdiscussionwithstakeholders.StrategicengagementwithUNCountryTeams,EducationSectorWorkingGroupsandCountryProgrammeprioritieswillcertainlyinfluencetheselection,especiallyifeducationispartofabroaderofficeresponsetotherightsofspecificadolescentsub-groups.Thefollowingsectionprovidesamoredetaileddescriptionofthefourgroupsandtheircorrespondingpathways.
ii. Positive pathwaysBeforedescribingthefourpathwaysinmoredetail,itisimportanttogiveabriefdescriptionoftheprinciplesguidingtheFramework.Ofvitalimportanceispositiveyouth development,inwhichabasictenetis:“young people are resources to be developed, not problems to be solved”(RothandBrooks-Gunn,2003).
Whileeducationisakeycomponentofpositivedevelopment,factorsofhome,communityandsocio-economicstatusarealsoincludedinthebroaderyouthdevelopmentframework.Fiveelementscanbeusedtodefinepositivedevelopment:
1. Caringandcompassion;2. Character;3. Competence(academicandsocial);4. Confidence;and5. Connection.
Theseelementshaveadirectbearingonthefourpositivepathways,whichfollowbelow(Lerner,2009).
Building Strong FoundationsAdolescents who are out of school without completing the primary cycle
Forout-of-schooladolescentswithlessthanaprimaryeducation,relevantandpracticallearningprovidestheopportunitytobuildastrongfoundation.Thereareanestimated70millionchildreninthiscategoryinEastAsiaandthePacific.Alargerproportionofthepopulationinlessdevelopedcountriesandincountrieswithinefficienteducationsystemswouldfallintothisgroup,andasmallerproportioninmiddle-incomecountries.Theseadolescentsarenotnecessarilysittingaroundwithnothing
14 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
todo.Theymightbeactiveintheinformaleconomyprovidingincomefortheirfamiliesorbusywithhouseholdchoresrelatedtofamilysubsistence.Freetimeforlearningisnotalwaysavailableandthehabitofcomingtogetherataprescribedtimetolearnisnotestablished.Thisgroupismadeupprimarilyoflowersocio-economicquintilesandhashighlevelsofethnicminoritiesandthoselivinginremoteareasand/orinurbanslums.‘SpeakingOut’(UNICEFEAPRO,2005),asurveyofyoungpeopleaged15-24fromthroughouttheregion,askedrespondentswhytheyleaveschool.Themostcommonreasonsgivenwerelackofmoney(43percent),theneedtohelpathome(23percent)andtheneedtowork,while,moredisturbingly,notlikingschoolandnotwantingtoattendwascitedby19percentofthoseonceenrolledbutnolongerattendingschool.
Thefactorswhichpulledthesechildrenoutofschool,suchaspoverty,fardistancetoalearningcentre,language,boredomandirrelevance,willneedtobeaddressedinanyeducationalapproachtakenontheirbehalf.Thisiscompoundedbythefactthatmanyoftheseadolescentshaveexperiencedfailurewiththeschoolsystem.Negativeexperienceswithschools,includingharassmentandbullyingbypeers,humiliationbyteachers,andfearofdangerwhiletravellingtoandfromclassrooms,willneedtobeovercome.Whetherbyattainingbasicliteracyormasteringspecificskillsthroughnon-formaleducation,positiveexperienceswithlearningprovidethefoundationforself-confidenceandabeliefinpossibilities.Forthisgroup,sustainedmotivationforlearningfollowstwodistincttracks:
• thedesiretocontinueeducationinordertogainliteracyorspecificlivelihoodsskillsthroughspecialcoursesandnon-formallearning;and
• thewishtogainofficialprimaryequivalenceandcertification,eithertocontinuewithlearningatthepost-primarylevelorforotheropportunitiesthatprimarycompletionmayoffer.
Understandingthelearningdesires,interestsandrealtiesoftheseadolescentsisessentialtoprovidingapositiveeducationalpathway.
Obstaclestoorganizedlearningcanbeovercomeinavarietyofways,andresearcharoundpossiblesolutionsdeservesUNICEFresources.Thereisaneedtolinkorganizedlearningwithotherenticementstomotivateadolescentstocometogether.Researchontheprovisionofvariousincentivesandrewardsforadolescentsinthisgrouptoattendandcompleteacourseofstudy,eitherschool-basedorthroughotherapproaches,wouldalsobewelcome.Forout-of-schoolpopulations,providingteamsportsactivitiestoencourageadolescentstolearnhasalsoproveneffective,asdemonstratedby‘RightToPlay’effortsinsouthernThailand.Whileindependentstudyanddistancelearningmaybeattractiveforthisgroup,educationdesignersmustrecognizethatmanyoftheseadolescentswillhaverudimentaryreading,writingandmathskills.Theprovisionoffunctionalliteracyisaprioritythatcannotbeignoredwhenaddressingtheireducationalrights.Alternativeapproachestolearning–forexampleusingcassettetapes,videos,DVDs,peereducation,ordiscussiongroupswithposters–candeliverspecificcontentandeducationalopportunities.Theneedtoadaptmaterialslocallytoreflecttheinterestsandsometimesthelanguagesofthespecifictargetgroupswillrequirethetrainingofteachersandlocalofficialsinparticipatoryapproaches.
Being a ResourceAdolescents enrolled in primary schools who are overage, attending irregularly, repeating grades and/or not learning
TheneedsofolderchildreninprimaryschoolaredifferenttothoseofyoungchildreninGrade1.Notably,theirengagementwiththeCFSsystemneedsspecialattention.Theterm‘BeingaResource’referstothegreatandtypicallyuntappedpotentialthatolderstudentsinprimaryschoolsrepresent.Consciouseffortsbyteachersandschooladministrativestaffto
15TARGETGROUPSANDOPPORTUNITIES
recognizethepositivevalueandpotentialresourcesoftheseolderstudentscandomuchtotransformtheirschoolexperience.Greaterfocusshouldbeplacedoncooperativelearningandcollaborativeapproacheswithintheclassroomthatallowextendedgroupactivities,withdifferentagerangesandcapacitiesclusteredtogetherandtheuseofpeerteachingandteamtechniques.ParticipationasleadersinSchoolSelfAssessments(SSA),asmembersofstudentcouncils,assafetywardenstohelpotherstoandfromschool,andasmonitorsofschoolpoliciesandmissionstatementscanallbeareaswhereolderstudentsareactiveandtheircontributionsvalued,whichinturncanincreasetheirconnectivitytoandpositiveexpectationsofschool.Extra-curricularclubsandgroupsthatprovideopportunitiestoacquirelivelihoodskillsmayinvolvetheneedtoadaptmaterialstoreflectlocalcontext,opportunitiesanddemands.Recognizingthatolderstudentsmaynotnecessarilybethemostadvancedintermsofknowledge,peertutorialsandtheexchangeofskillsfromyoungertoolderstudentsprovidesanotherforumforcollaborativelearning.Thisallrequiresthatteachersandschoolstaffworkwithanopenheartandmind–treatingstudentsastruestakeholdersandengagingwiththemaspartnerswithinaholisticCFSframework.
InEastAsiaandthePacific,thisgroupof35millionchildrenisrelativelyoverlookedintermsofUNICEF’seducationprogrammes.Thepriorityhasbeentogetchildrenintoschool,usingtheCFSsystem,withspecialfocusontheearlygradeswhereratesofdropoutandrepetitionarehighest.Thetransitionthroughschoolandthedifficultiesfacedbyolderchildreningrades4-5hasgarneredmuchlessattention.Theregionalprofileoftheseoverageprimaryschoolstudentshasseveraldistinctcharacteristics.Mostcommonly,wefindadolescentswhoenrolledinprimaryschoolayearortwolate,andwhohaverepeatedgradesduetopoorattendanceand/orunsatisfactoryresults–whichareinturnmostdirectlyaffectedbythelanguagespokenathome,the
distancetoschool,theneedtohelpthefamily,andthepresenceofillness(worms,diarrheal,fever).Researchalsoshowsthatalackofwaterandsanitationfacilitiesisamajorbarrierforadolescentgirls,inparticulartotheircontinuingontohigherprimaryschoolgrades.Inremoteareaswithsmallpopulations,wefindincompleteschoolsofferingonlythefirstfewgradesoftheprimarycycle,wherelearnersmustrepeatthehighestgradeaslongastheyremainenrolledinthelocalschool.
Thelongerolderstudentscontinuetostudyinprimaryschoolwithoutgraduating,thegreaterthelikelihoodthattheywillfaceviolence,abuseandharassmentfromteachersandotherstudents.TheSpeakingOutsurveyalsoaskedyoungpeopleintheregionabouttheirexperiencesasstudentsintheformalschoolsystem.Amajorityfounditdifficulttotalktotheirteachersabouttheirproblemsatschool,sayingteachersoftenyellatthem(16percent),thattheydon’tlistentoortreatstudentswell(13percent)andthattheyusephysicalpunishment(8percent).TherecentMongoliastudyonviolenceinschools,whichusedabroadmeasureofverbalabuseandhumiliationasformsofviolence,foundthat97percentofsecondaryschoolstudentshadexperiencedviolenceinschools(Mongolia,2005).Extensiveresearchinrecentyearsispointingtotheimportanceofthesocialandemotionalenvironmentofschools,andthedirectlinkbetweenstudents’feelingsof‘connectedness’andtheirleveloflearningachievementandpositiveperformanceonawiderangeofindicators(Greenberg,2003;Mohamed,2001).InarecentmajornationalstudyofadolescentlearnersintheUnitedStates,adolescents’feelingsofengagementandconnectivitytoschools(asmeasuredbyfeelingclosetopeopleatschool,feelingapartoftheschool,feelingtreatedfairlybyteachersandfeelingsafe),weredirectlycorrelatedtosuccesswithlearning,schoolperformance(attendance,completion,etc),andhigh-risksocialbehaviour(smoking,alcohol,earlysex,pregnancy)(Blum,etc,UNICEFEAPRO,2009).
16 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
Making It WorkAdolescents who are out of school, who dropped out before completing lower secondary
Forthisgroupofout-of-schooladolescents,continuededucationmustbepurposeful,withpracticalapplicationsorgate-keepingfunctionsthatrelatedirectlytoimprovedlivelihoodsorgreaterjobopportunities.Assuch,educationandorganizedlearningmustpresentpracticalopportunitiesforMaking It Work.ThisisthelargestofthefourgroupsinEastAsiaandthePacific,withover90millionadolescentswhofinishedprimarybutleftlowersecondary.Regionally,thisisaverydiversegroup,featuringallsocio-economicclassesandsub-nationalgroupings.Insomecountries,suchasLaoPDRorPapuaNewGuinea,thisgroupmaybequitesmallandconsideredadvantagedwhencomparedtothevastnumbersofadolescentswhohaveneverenrolledinprimary.Therearemanyreasonswhychildrendonotmakethetransitionthroughlowertouppersecondaryschool,includingproximitytohome,feesandothercostbarriers,lackofinterest,fear,abuse,andtheperceivedlowvalue-addedofstayinginschool.Thepressuretocontributetofamilyincomealsoresultsinmanyadolescentsleavinglowersecondarybeforecompletionandsecond-chanceopportunitiesforlearningmustprovidetheseadolescentswithtangibleandpracticaloutcomes.
Adolescentsinthisgroupshouldhavedevelopedliteracyskillsandcantakeadvantageofself-learningopportunitiesandindependentstudythatadvancetheircapacitytofindworkorimprovestheirexistingmeansoflivelihood.Educationoptionsforthisclustermightincludepeereducation,computer-basedtutorialsandmodularlessonswithhomeworkassignments.Withinthisgroup,therearetwodistinctstrands.Someoftheseadolescentswillbeinterestedinre-enteringtheformalschoolsystemtoachieveequivalencycertificatesandsecondaryschooldiplomas.Othermembers,whileperhapskeenonfinishinglowersecondary,aremoreinterestedingainingspecificskills,informationorqualificationsthat
canpavethewayforhigher-payingjobsandimprovingtheirchancesforasecureandmoresustainablelivelihood.Furtherlearningforyoungpeoplewhofallintothiscategorymuststressmarketableskillsthatwillboosttheirchancesoffindingwork,oratleastofferthemanimprovedqualityoflife.
Educationandtrainingprogrammesthatengagewiththeprivatesectorallowtheseadolescentstomeetwithpotentialemployersandnetworkbeyondtheirpeergroupsandimmediatecommunities.Lifeskillsandsocialandemotionallearning(SEL)competenciesthatequipyoungpeoplefornetworking,fortakingastrategicapproachtoselfdevelopment,andfornegotiatingandcommunicatingarealsokeyelementsoftenmissingintheeducationalopportunitiesavailableforthisgroup.Talentacademies,whichprovidelearnerswiththeopportunitytofocustheirstudiesonareasinwhichtheyexcel(i.e.,art,sports,mechanics)buildself-confidenceandesteeminwaysthatpromotefurtherlearningandpersonaldevelopment.
Stepping to SuccessAdolescents currently enrolled in lower secondary but at risk of dropping out, who have repeated grades, attend irregularly, and/or are not learning
Thereareapproximately90millionadolescentscurrentlyenrolledinlowersecondaryschoolsinEastAsiaandthePacific,andwehaveestimatedthatapproximately40percent,or36million,areatriskofdroppingoutand/ornotlearning.Fromarightsperspective,theseadolescentsmaynotbeconsideredapriorityforUNICEFsupport.IncountriessuchasCambodia,Kiribati,theSolomonIslandsorTimor-Leste,withlowersecondaryenrolmentratesbelow30percent,itcanbearguedthatthisgroupisalreadyconsiderablyadvantaged.Forsomesectorsofsociety,however,suchasethnicminorities,thoselivinginremoteareasorchildrenwithdisabilities,thelevelofdisadvantageissogreatthatfromarightsperspectiveredressingthisimbalancebecomesapriority.Themainreasonswhystudentsdropoutorfailtolearnareirrelevantandoutdated
17TARGETGROUPSANDOPPORTUNITIES
curricula,poorlearningconditionsandscarceresources,keepinginmindthatmanyfacecompetingdemandsfortheirtimeandshowlittlesenseofconnectednesstotheirschools.Tokeepstudentsinlowersecondary,moremustbedonetoimproveschoolqualityandtolinklearningwithreallifeneeds–inotherwords,tomakelearninganopportunityforlearnerstoStepToSuccess.Thisincludeslinkingschoolsmorecloselytothecommunityandsocietyatlarge,toemphasizethebridgebetweenlearningandearningandtobuildconfidenceandself-esteemthroughpositivelearningexperiences.
Thereisabigmismatchbetweenwhatistaughtatschoolandtheskillsneededbytheprivatesector.Inmanycountries,studentsinrurallowersecondaryschoolshaveonlythesmallestchanceofpassingexamstogainapreciousseatinuppersecondary,sothatlowersecondaryisessentiallytheendoftheirformalschooling.Inthiscontext,whencomparingtherelativeimportanceofregularschoolattendanceagainsttheopportunitytocontributetofamilyincomeandhouseholdwell-being,schoollosesout.Thisisespeciallytrueifschoolsarenotlinkedtothelocaleconomyanddonotprovideskillsandcontactsthatleadtodesiredjobs.Livelihoodskillscanbeincorporatedintosecondaryschooleducationthroughspecial
subjectcourses,extra-curricularclubsandafter-schoolprojectsthatarelinkedtolocalemployersandtheprivatesector.
Ministersofeducationintheregionareacutelyawareofthechallengesfacingadolescents.AttheSoutheastAsiaMinistersofEducationOrganization(SEAMEO)annualConsultationofMinistersinKualaLumpurin2008,majorconcernswereraisedaboutthequalityofsecondaryeducationandthepoorviewthatstudentshaveoftheirschools.Theministersspokefranklyaboutthelegionsofdisillusionedsecondarystudentswhoareboredandtunedout,andthedirectlinkthishastopoorlearningoutcomesandlowcompletionrates(SEAMEO,2008).InthePacific,therecentForumofMinistersofEducationalsohighlightedtheimportanceofadolescents,educationandemploymentopportunities,andthecriticalrolequalityplaysinretentionandstudentengagement(PacificForum,2008,Fiji).Improvingthesocialandemotionalenvironmentinsecondaryschoolswouldaddressmanyoftheshortcomingsthatputadolescentsofflearning.Forthisreason,expansionoftheCFSformat(especiallyasregardsparticipationandprotection)tosecondaryschoolsisakeyfeatureoftheFramework.
iii. Typologies of countries in the regionForthepurposesoftheregionalstrategyandinordertoadvancethenotionofcountrytypologies,wehaveclusteredcountriesaccordingtotheproportionofadolescentsbelongingtoeachofthefourtargetgroups,calculatedatnationallevels.Ananalysisoftheeducationalstatusofadolescentsallowsustobuildatypologybasedontheprioritizationofthetwolargesttargetgroups.Thisdoesnotmeanthatcountryofficesmustlimittheirengagementinadolescenteducationtojustthesetwogroups,butthateffortsinotherareasmustbefocused,strategicandoflimitedscope.Countryofficesareencouragedtocarryoutmoreextensiveanalysisanddiscussionsatnationallevelontheimportanceofthesefour
targetgroupsandtofinalizetheirprioritiesaccordingly.TheirrelativesizeisnotnecessarilywhatmattersmostintermsofUNICEF’scomparativeadvantageandtherights-basedapproachthatguidesourprogrammefocus.Foreachcountry,thetoptwoprioritygroupshavebeenidentifiedinthefollowingtable.
Itshouldbenotedthatwholethesecategorizationsandtargetgroupsarebasedonthecurrentsituationfacingthecountriesintheregionin2009.Ifwelooktothefuture,evenfiveyearsfromnow,wecanexpecttoseesomesignificantshiftsinthecompositionofthesefourtargetgroups.Inalllikelihood,wewouldseethenumberofadolescentsin
1� EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
Building a Strong Foundation Outofschoolwithoutcompletingprimary
Making It Work OutofschoolaftercompletingprimaryLowersecondarydropouts
• LaoPDR(2) • Myanmar(2) • PapuaNewGuinea(2) • SolomonIslands(2) • Vanuatu(2)
• China(2) • Malaysia(2) • Mongolia(2) • VietNam(2)
Being a ResourceEnrolledinprimaryschool,overageandnotlearning
Stepping to SuccessEnrolledinlowersecondaryschool,overageandnotlearning
• Cambodia(1) • DPRKorea(2) • Indonesia(1) • LaoPDR(1) • Myanmar(1) • PapuaNewGuinea(1) • Philippines(1) • SolomonIslands,VanuatuandKiribati(1) • Thailand(2)
• Cambodia(2) • China(1) • DPRKorea(1) • Indonesia(2) • Kiribati(2) • Malaysia(1) • Mongolia(1) • Philippines(2) • Thailand(1) • VietNam(1)
primaryschoolswhoarenotlearningandlikelytodropouttobegreatlyreduced.Thiswillbetheresultofacombinationofimprovedqualityintheformalsystemandexpandedaccesstoearlychildhoodprogrammes,aswellasimplementationofpoliciesrelatedtoautomaticpromotion.Teachersareoftenthestrongestopponentsofautomaticpromotionpolicies,statingthatitmakesamockeryofteachingandlearningandwillallowstudentstopassthroughtheeducationsystemwithoutberequiredtoacquirebasicliteracy,numeracyorgeneralknowledge.Certainlyautomaticpromotionpolicieswillmakethepracticeofspecialtuitionclassesafterschoolsredundant,andwillgreatlyreducetheopportunitiesforpublicschoolteacherstomakeadditionalincomethroughcoachingclassesandspecialafterschoolcramsessions.Whilerisksareinvolved,automaticpromotionwillgreatlyreducelevelsofprimaryschooldrop-out(andrepetition)andallowforadditionalresourcestobeallocatedtoquality
improvementsinschools.AsaresultwecanexpectfarfewerchildrentobeincludedinthetargetgroupBuildingaStrongFoundationintheyearstocome.Ontheotherhand,wecanexpectlargernumberofadolescentstobefoundinthetargetgroupMakingItWorkoutofschoolaftercompletingtheirprimaryeducation.Asaresult,infuture,moreattentionandresourceswillberequiredforalternativelearningopportunities,includingon-linelearning,non-formalequivalencycourses,partnershipswithprivatesectorandup-streampolicysupport.BuildingaStrongFoundation,thegroupcomprisedofprimaryschooldropouts,willtakesometimetoreduce,butinthelongerterm,10yearsormore,wecanexpecttoseeimprovementstotheprimarysystemtopayoff,withfewerandfewerchildrendroppingout,andthoseadolescentswhohavedroppedoutinthepastmaturingintoadulthoodandoutofthetargetfocusofthisstrategy.
Note:(1)and(2)indicateeachcountry’stwoprioritygroups.
19PRIORITYAREASOFINTERVENTION
V. Priority areas of intervention
Five Priority Areas have been identified as a means of guiding country offices in their strategic choice of interventions for creating positive pathways for adolescent education. A matrix, with specific examples of interventions for the four target groups and their pathways, is provided below. The Priority Areas are:
i. Identifying education disparities and filling knowledge gaps ii. Improving quality in formal schools, building on experiences with CFS iii. Supporting alternative approaches and non-school models of learning iv. Promoting adolescent participation and active citizenry v. Education for well-being and behaviour change
BylimitingUNICEF’sengagementtothesePriorityAreas,theregionalofficeisstrategicallyplacingparametersoncountryofficesupporttothesecondaryandnon-formalsub-sectors.ThereisstilltoomuchunfinishedbusinessinensuringtherighttoqualityprimaryeducationforUNICEFtoplacedisproportionateattentiononsecondary,althoughaddressingtheneedformorepathwaystoqualitylowersecondarywillmakeprimarycompletionmoreattractivetolearners.ThematrixbelowattemptstosummarizeexamplesofUNICEF-supportedactivitiesundereachPriorityAreainrelationto
eachofthefourtargetgroups.Ascanbeseen,notallPriorityAreasarerelevanttoallgroups.ThecommentarythatfollowsthematrixexplainsthelinksbetweenthePriorityAreasandthepositivepathwaysandgivesexamplesofthetypeofinterventionsthatUNICEFcountryofficesshouldconsidersupporting.Theseexamplesareneitherexhaustive,nornecessarilyrelevanttoeachcountryacrosstheregion,butattempttoprovideUNICEFanditspartnerssomepracticalguidanceandoptionstoconsiderwhenapplyingtheFramework.
©UNICEF/NYHQ2009-0243/JoshEstey
20 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
Building Strong Foundations Outofschoolwithoutcompletingprimary
Being a ResourceOlderchildreninprimaryschools
Stepping to SuccessOutofschoolwithoutcompletinglowersecondary
Making It WorkStudentsenrolledinlowersecondary
i. Identifying education disparities and filling knowledge gaps
•Improvequality,analysis anduseofEMISforNFE, privatesector,NGO systems•Knowledgegenerationand surveysonout-of-school populationsinrelationto educationandschooling
•Surveysandqualitative researchonattitudes, expectationsand environmentstoshape policyandpractice•Capacitybuildingin analysis–linkingdataon disparitiestodecision- making
•Improvequality,analysis anduseofEMISsystems foradolescents•Knowledgegenerationand surveysonout-of-school populationsinrelationto educationandschooling•Learningachievement– technicalsupportto strengthenNFequivalence examinationsand certificationstandards
•Improvequality,analysis anduseofEMISsystems foradolescents•Learningachievement– technicalsupport,baseline andimpactsurveysfor pilotprojects,useLAto influencecurriculum reviews,teachertraining andexamreform
ii. Improving quality in formal schools, building on experiences with CFS
•ExpandedCFSframeworks andstandardsfor secondaryandboarding schoolfacilities•Pre-serviceandin-service teachertraining– cooperativelearning•Schoolmanagement– Student-ledorganizations, activeengagement
•QualityCFSstandards withnationalframeworks•Schoolmanagement practices•Pre-serviceandin-service teachertraining•Examreform•School-basedWASH– watersanitationfacilities andpractice
iii. Supporting alternative approaches and non-formal models of learning
•Networkmechanismsand coordinationsupport•Non-formalequivalence policy,innovationand capacitydevelopment•NFEcourses–functional literacyandlifeskills
•Networkmechanismsand coordinationsupport– Public-privatepartnerships•Non-formalequivalence policy,innovationand capacitydevelopment•Non-formallivelihoodsand lifeskillscoursesand alternativelearningmodels
iv. Promoting adolescent participation and active citizenry
•Mainstreamtheuseof activelearning–learner- centredmethods•Child-to-child–studentsas agentsofchange
•Mainstreamactivelearning– learner-centredmethods•Studentrolesinschool managementand decision-making•Child-to-child– students asagentsofchange
•Mainstreamtheuseof activelearning–learner- centredmethods•Child-to-child–studentsas agentsofchange•RightToPlay–organized clubsandteamsport
•Mainstreamactivelearning– learner-centredmethods•Studentrolesinschool managementand decision-making•Learnersasagentsof change•Communitiesinvolvedin schools
v. Education for well-being and behaviour change
•Canvassingandclassroom- basedadvocacy•Independentlearning modulesonkeymessage areasusingvariousmedia
•Canvassingand classroom-based advocacy•Schoolhealth/WASH– LaoPDR•Disasterriskreduction– environmentandclimate change
•Canvassingandclassroom- basedadvocacy•Independentlearning modulesonkeymessage areasusingvariousmedia•Engageadolescentto developindependent learningmodulesonkey messageareas
•Canvassingandclassroom advocacy•Lifeskillsandsocialand emotionallearning•Disasterriskreduction– environmentaleducation
21PRIORITYAREASOFINTERVENTION
Therearetremendousdatagapsthatneedtobefilledintermsofthestatusofadolescenteducationintheregion,andthisPriorityAreaisappropriateforallfourtargetgroups.Withintheformalsector,educationdataareavailableinmostcountriesthroughEMISforprimaryeducation–asignificantoutcomeoftheEFAmovement.Therearemajordatagaps,however,forpost-primaryeducation,withsecondaryNERdataavailableforjustafewcountriesintheregion(2009EFAGMR).Disaggregatedsecondary,vocationalandpost-secondarydatawasveryweakinmostcountryreportsoftheEFAMidDecadeAssessment(MDA)process,andthereisnoEMISreportingonagebygradebreakdownsforsecondary.Therearealsosignificantcapacitygapsintheanalysisanduseofdatabydecisionmakersandstakeholdersatalllevelsoftheeducationsystem,somethingthatcanbeaddressedunderthisFramework.Themostglaringknowledgegaps,however,pertaintothoseadolescentsnolongerenrolledintheschoolsystem.Inthiscontext,thefollowingthreeareasaresuggestedforintervention:strengtheningtheuseofpost-primaryEMIS;investinginsurveysandqualitativeresearch;andmeasuringlearningachievementsandstudentoutcomes.
Strengthening monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and EMIS LargedatagapsappearwiththeexistingEMISsystemsatsecondaryandpost-secondarylevels.Thepaucityofdataexistsforalladolescentagegroups,asevidencedbytheEFAGMRdatatablesandtheUNESCOSub-RegionalSynthesisReportsoftheEFAMDA(UNESCOSSR.2009).Technicalresourcesupporttoincreaseschooldatacollectionmaybenecessaryinonlyafewcases.Areviewofpoliciesandpracticesrelatedtomonitoringperformancecanincludelookingatinspectoratedatacollectiontools,creatingstrongerM&Elinkswithnon-stateprovidersofeducation,strengtheningstakeholdercapacityfordata
i. Identifyingeducationdisparitiesandfilling knowledge gaps
analysisandimprovingtheuseofdatafordecision-making.Withbetteranalysis,counterpartsatcentralanddecentralizedlevelscanpinpointwherethegreatestdisparitieslieandwhereresourcesaremostrequired.UNICEFcanplayakeyroletosupportimprovedqualityanduseofEMISandM&Esystemsforformalpost-primarylevels,NFEcourses,andprivatesector-certifiedcourses.Thiswillrequirebudgetdiscussionsandtheprioritizationofresourcesinpolicyplanning.ExcellentexamplesofsuchengagementatupperprimaryandsecondarylevelscanbefoundinMongolia,CambodiaandTimor-Leste.
Surveys and research Dataonadolescentsandyoungpeoplewhoarenotenrolledinschoolisalmostnon-existent,restrictedtojustafewsurveys.Childrenarenotfeaturedinthehealthsystemaftertheyhavecompletedtheirimmunizationsatagefive.Ineducation,oncechildrenstopshowingupforservicesandofficiallydropout,thechildisusuallynolongermonitoredorrecordedbyEMIS.Householdsurveys,qualitativestudiesandactionresearchcanprovideexcellentdataonadolescentsandeducation.TheVietNamstudyonEthnicMinorityGirls’TransitiontoLowerSecondarySchoolisanexcellentexampleofresearchthatcouldintroduceinnovativeparticipatorydatacollectiontechniques.Thefindingshadadirectimpactoneducationpolicyandgovernmentprogrammesforethnicminoritygirls’educationintheNorthernprovinces.Asituationanalysisofadolescenteducationcanalsoincludemappingexerciseswherethemyriadofpartnersandagenciesinvolvedareidentified,withthepotentialforsynergyandcollaborationspelledout.Studiesorpublishedresearchontheeffectivenessofvarioustargetedbudgetsupportschemesamongstspecificgroups,includingincentives,waiversandscholarshipsforsecondaryschools,wouldbeavaluablecontributiontothesector.Qualitativeresearchcanalsobeinitiatedlookingatthehopes,fears
22 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
includingsupporttocountriesthathaveyettointroducetheseexamstoassistwiththeskills,samplingdesignandtoolsneededtoundertakeastudy.In2005,theEastAsiaLearningAchievementStudy(EALAS)wasintroducedinsevencountriesinEAPRO,focusingontheprimarylevel.TheinnovationsofEALAS,whichcouldeasilybeappliedatthesecondarylevel,weretheuseoftheStructureoftheObservedLearningOutcome(SOLO)taxonomyinitemdesign,theuseofquestionnairestoobtaindataonschoolsandlearners,andtheuseofRaschModellingintheanalysisofthefindings.Researchthatcanshedlightonthelinkbetweenvariousqualityinterventions,suchasteachertraining,orSELconnectivity,andlearningachievementcanhavearealimpactonpolicyformulationandsectordiscussions,aswellascurriculumreform,teachertrainingandschoolmanagementguidelines.Continuedresearchonlearningachievementcanalsocontributetooursupportforexamreform,detailedbelow.
andaspirationsofadolescents,thetransitiontoandsuccessinpost-primary,andexperienceswithprivatesectoreducationamongstvarioustargetgroups.Surveysonspecificsub-groupswithinthefourtargetgroups,includingeducationsurveyswithethnicminorityadolescents,adolescentsinpoorfamiliesandremoteplacesandthosewithdisabilities,arealsoencouraged.Intheregion,VietNam,China,ThailandandTimor-Lesteareexamplesofcountriesthathavecarriedoutexcellentsurveyandresearchworkonadolescenteducation.
Learning achievementAthirdareaofstrategicimportancewhereUNICEFcanprovidesupportisresearchandanalysisonlearningachievementintermsofstudentperformanceinvariouseducationalsettings.Suchresearchandanalysiscanhighlightdisparitiesinlearningachievementsbetweenvariousmembersofsociety,regionsofacountry,typeofschooland/orlearningenvironment.CloseralliancescanbemadewithongoingPISAandTIMMSinitiatives,
ii. Improving quality in formal schools, building on experiences with CFSThisPriorityAreaismostappropriateforadolescentsingroupstwoandfour,studentsenrolledinupperprimaryorlowersecondaryschoolswhoareoverage,repeatersand/orlateenrollerswithpoorattendance,atriskofdroppingoutandnotlearning.IncountriesinEastAsiaandthePacific,thesetwopopulationsarequitelarge.Whenappliedinpractice,qualityshouldbeconceivedfromaholisticperspective,inlinewiththeprinciplesofexistingnationalCFSframeworks.Withinthisarea,fivespecificinterventionshavebeenidentifiedforUNICEFcountrylevelsupport:
Expanding CFS standards TheCFSholisticframeworkprovidesarights-basedlearningenvironment.Todatethefocushasbeenmainlyonprimaryeducation.However,someinitialworkhasbegunonthesecondarylevel.ThePhilippinesandVietNam
haveappliedtheCFSapproachinschoolmanagementpractices,includingschoolself-assessments,schoolimprovementplans,headmaster/teachertrainingandcommunityorientations.UNICEFanditspartnersneedtoconsiderhowtheCFSframeworkcanbeimplementedinupperprimaryandlowersecondary.CFSstandardsandprocessesatthesecondarylevelwillincludemuchlargerdimensionsforparticipation,inclusionandprotection–andthenecessityforinformationandknowledgeaboutreproductivehealth.UNICEFcanusepilotactivitiesandresearchtoidentifybestpracticesandinnovativemodelstoimprovethequalityandequityofeducationatthesecondarylevel.Assecondaryschoolsintheregionoftenhavedormitories,theapplicationofCFSprinciples,holisticstandardsandmanagementprocessestotheseplaceswillbeimportant.
23PRIORITYAREASOFINTERVENTION
Somecountryofficesarealsoworkingwithgovernmentstodevelopstandardstoguidetherehabilitation,constructionandmaintenanceoflowersecondaryschoolfacilities,eitheraspartofanemergencyresponse,orinapplyingCFSprinciplestolearningspaces.CountryofficesmusttakecarethatsupporttostandardsettingdoesnotcommitUNICEFtosupportinglarge-scaleschoolconstructionschemes.UNICEF’ssupporttoconstructionshouldbelimitedtointroducinginnovativenewdesigns(e.g.,forremotemultigradeschools,forwater/sanitationsystems)ortonewconstructionapproaches(e.g.,increasingcommunityorpublic-privatepartnerships,traininglocalyouthtobuildandmaintainschools).InChina,thedevelopmentofaNationalCFSFrameworkandStandardsresultedinsurveysbeingconductedtoreviewthestatusofspecificdimensions.In2009,thegovernmentinitiatedanationalreviewofthesafetyandprotectiondimensionoftheCFSframework,whichwilllookatschoolenvironmentsandthehealthandphysicalsafetyofstudents,includingtheSELenvironment,usingtoolsdevelopedwithUNICEFsupport.
School management practicesThisiscloselylinkedtoCFSstandards,thedistinctionherebeingthatthefocusisontransformingtherolesthatteachersandlearnersplayintheclassroomandschoolmanagement.Themostconsistentwaythisisbeingdoneinformalschoolsisthroughschoolselfassessmentprocessesthatinvolvelocalstakeholdersindevelopingschoolimprovementplans(SIPs).Theseprocessesarecommoninmanychild-friendlyprimaryschools,andhavebeenmodifiedinseveralcountriesforuseinlowersecondary(Thailand,thePhilippinesandVietNam).Oncestudentsseethattheiropinionsandviewsarevaluedandtakenintoconsideration,theirrelationshipandengagementwithschoolstartstochange.Certainlysuchchangesrequirecleardirectivesandguidancefromseniorministryofficials,circulateddirectlytoschoolsandlocalgovernment.Theyalsorequireinvestmentsin
headmastertraining,bringingtogetherschoolmanagementcommitteesandparentsgroupsaswellascivilsociety,faith-basedandprivatesectorgroupsifrelevant.Grantinggreaterflexibilitytoheadmastersandteachers,especiallyiftheyaretakinginitiativesandmakinglearningrelevanttotheirlearners,isaniterativeprocessthatleadstostrongerschools.Itmayalsobepossibletoaddresspoliciesthatkeepgirlsoutofschoolaftertheyhavehadchildren,ortoliftrestrictionsonolderchildrenwhowouldliketotryacceleratedlearningandskipgradeswhereappropriate,asjusttwoexamples.
Foradolescentsingroupstwoandfour,teachersandschoolmanagementshoulddomoretoemphasizeandutilizetheirpotential.Overageadolescentscanassumemanyleadershiprolesinschool,suchasbeingresponsibleforvariousclassroomandmanagementfunctions,asplaygroundmonitorsandsportsgroupleaders,andbeinginchargeofwalkingyoungchildrentoandfromschool.Thesearrangementsrequireattentionduringpre-serviceandin-serviceteachertraining,andarecloselylinkedtotheeffortsdescribedbelowunderlifeskills.InThailand,theNGORighttoPlayworkedwithgovernmentschoolstostrengthenstudents’leadership,teambuildingandcommunicationskillsthroughgamesandorganizedteamactivities.Introducingtheseconceptsandpracticaltechniquestoheadmasters,teachersandstudentscanlaythegroundforexpandingsuchpracticesnationally.
Exam reformAcrosstheregion,nationalsecondaryschoolexamsareoneofthebiggestobstaclestointroducingqualityinitiativesintotheclassroom.Forhistoricalandculturalreasons,mostnationalexamstestrotememorization,rewardingthosestudentsandschoolsthatareabletoregurgitatevasttractsoftextandrememberexamplesfrompracticeexams.Introducingchild-centredmethodsandotherqualityinitiativesinsuchacontextcanresultinstudentsactuallyperformingworseon
24 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
traditionalexams,aswasevidencedinaCFSImpactStudyconductedinCambodiain2005.Examsthatmeasuretheabilitytomemorizetextbooksarenotrelevanttothedemandsoftheprivatesectorortheneedsofadolescentsintoday’sworld.Revisingthemisaquidproquoforqualityreformatprimaryandsecondarylevels.
UNICEF’sworkintheregionattheprimarylevelunderEALAScanbeabasisforengagementinexamreformatthesecondarylevel.Learningachievementstudiescanplacegreateremphasisonquestionnairesthatexamineadolescents’connectivitytoschoolsandtheirfamiliesandothersocialandcontextualinfluences.AsinEALAS,supportforsecondaryexamreformcanincludetheuseofSOLOtaxonomytoclassifyitems,withRaschmodellingusedtolinkexamresultstospecificcurriculumobjectives,theschoolenvironmentandothersocial/familyfactors.Withoutexamreform,effortstomaketheclassroommorestudent-centredandparticipatoryatthesecondarylevelriskbeingineffective.Thisisalong-termendeavourandshouldbeundertakeninpartnershipwithotherdonors,especiallytheWorldBank,AusAIDandtheEuropeanUnion.
Examreformalsoneedstobeextendedtonon-formaleducationequivalencecoursesthatofferaccreditationandcertificationtoout-of-schooladolescents.Technicalsupporttoensurecomparabilitybetweenthevariousexamsandcurriculaexpectationswillhelpensurequality.InIndonesia,non-formalequivalenceexamsforloweranduppersecondaryareavailableandofferedonspecificdates,althoughonly30percentofNFEstudentsareabletopassonaverage(NFEDeskReview,UNICEFEAPRO,2009).
Water and sanitation hygiene (WASH) in schools WASHinschoolscombinesinstructionalmaterials,advocacyandawareness–theso-calledsoftware–withhardwaresupportin
termsoftoiletfacilitiesandwatersupplies.Experiencehasshownthatsupportinglessonsonsanitationandhygienewithoutprovidingaccesstotoiletsandwater,orprovidinghardwarewithoutofferinglessonsormaterialsonsanitationisfarlesseffectivethanacombinationofthetwo.UNICEFshouldconsiderWASHsupportforbothprimaryandsecondaryschools,incorporatingbothsoftwareandhardwareelements,andallowingcommunitiesandstudentstoparticipateinthedesignandconstructionofnewfacilities.Lackoftoiletsinsecondaryschoolsisakeyreasonforthelowattendanceofgirlsandisoff-puttingforadolescentsingeneral.LinkingWASHinschoolstohomeandcommunity-basedoutreachbystudentshasproveneffectiveatprimarylevels,andthereisanevengreaterpotentialatthesecondarylevelforlearnerstobringlessonshomeandtostarttheprocessofbehaviourchangeinthecommunity.WASHmessagesandindicatorscanalsobeincorporatedintoSSAandSIPexercises.
Pre-service and in-service teacher trainingTeachertrainingiskeytoanyefforttoimprovethequalityofeducation.Foradolescents,therearecurrentlyveryfewdevelopmentagenciesinEAPthatsupportteachertrainingforsecondaryeducation.UNICEFmustbecareful,therefore,nottogetoverlycommittedtosupportsecondaryteachertrainingwithoutaclearexitstrategy.Whileinnovativeapproachestoin-servicetrainingcanprovidemodels,unlessthereisaclearplanforhandingthesemodelsover,itwillbedifficultforUNICEFtoextricateitselffromwhatcanbecomeaboutiquepilot.Thereisgreaterpotentialwithpre-servicetrainingtoputeffectivemodelsinplacewhichcanbemainstreamedthroughexistingteachertraininginstitutesandpre-servicetrainingcentres.Beforetheytakeupdutiesintheclassroom,teacherscanbetrainedonCFSprinciples,onsocialemotionallearning,onstudentparticipationoronknowledgeforwellbeing.
25PRIORITYAREASOFINTERVENTION
ThisPriorityAreaisprimarilyintendedforadolescentsintargetgroupsoneandthree-thosewhoarecurrentlyoutofschool.Theseadolescentshavealotofpotentialandcontinuetolearnafterleavingschool.InEAPcountries,governmentshavealonghistoryofimplementingNFE,bothintermsofmassliteracycampaigns,andskills-basededucationprogrammesforyoungpeople.Throughouttheentireeducationsector,thegreatestpartnershipsandmostactiveengagementwithcivilsocietypartners,NGOs,people’sunionsandcommunitygroupsareusuallyfoundinNFEdepartmentsandprogrammes.Whiledistinctintermsofmodesofdeliveryandlevelsofflexibility,formalandnon-formaleducationsystemsarequitesimilarintheelementsthatinfluencetheirquality.TherecentNFEDeskReview(UNICEFEAPRO,2009)wascommissionedtohelpdeterminethescopeandcomparativeadvantageofUNICEF’sengagementinNFEequivalenceintheregion.TheDeskReviewanalyzedexistingNFEequivalenceprogrammesintheregionunderthreedomains:organization,contextandgoals(UNICEFEAPRO,2009).ThereviewhelpedtoidentifythekeyactivitiesbelowrecommendedforthisPriorityArea.
Network coordination Asmentionedabove,awiderangeofNGOs,civilsocietyandcross-sectoralpartnersareinvolvedinnon-formalandalternativemodesofeducation.Regrettably,therearefewcoordinationmechanismsinplaceandverylittlesynergybetweenpotentialpartners.InCambodia,anexceptionexistsintheformofKAPE,anNGOumbrellaorganizationthatissupportedbyUNICEFtoprovideacommonplatformfornon-government,civilsocietyandfaith-basedorganizationsthatareactiveintheeducationsector.InadditiontocoordinatingtheeffortsofvariousNGOs,KAPEplaysaproactiveroleasamemberoftheEducationSectorWorkingGroup,shapingpolicythroughadvocacyandwell-documentedpilotprojects.WithoutcommittedresourcesforoverheadexpensesKAPEcouldnotexist,andthecivilsocietypartnerswouldremainadisparatebunch
iii. Supporting alternative approaches and non-formal models of learning
devoidoffocusandthepowerofnumbers.Tohelpadolescentsastheyapproachadulthood,bettercoordinationmechanismsareneededwithcommunitydevelopmentefforts,includingeducationextensionprogrammesbyothersectors,suchashealth,agriculture,publicworksandlocaldevelopment.ThroughmoreformalizedNGOcoordination,strongerlinkscanalsobefosteredwiththegovernmentmonitoringandevaluationsystem.
Otherlevelsofnetworkingandrepresentationcanbeconsideredintermsofassistingyouthorganizationstogetregistered.Itisonethingtoorganizeonbehalfofadolescents,quiteanothertoallowthemtoorganizethemselves,toregisterasgroupsandtobeofficiallyrecognized.Suchpolicyengagementrequiresastrategicvisionandcommitmentovertimetoproduceresults.Whileitisrelativelyeasytosupportadolescentswhoareinschool,relativelyfewcountryofficesprovidesupporttostudentgovernmentsandcouncilsandtonationaleffortstobringtogetherrepresentativesofthesegroupstomeetwithseniorgovernmentofficials.Evenfewercountries(Myanmar,VietNam)havemanagedtoengagewithgroupsofout-of-schooladolescents,providingthemwithlocalsupportandadviceonhowtheycanbestmaketheirvoicesheardbygovernment.
Non-formal equivalence: Policy, innovation and capacity developmentTherecentNFEDeskReviewfoundthatmanycountriesintheregiondonothaveestablishedcurricula,deliverysystemsandcertificationprocessestoprovideaccreditednon-formalequivalencycoursesattheprimary,loweroruppersecondarylevels.TheexceptionsareIndonesia,ThailandandthePhilippineswhichhaveextensivenon-formalequivalencyprogrammes,withnationalequivalenceexamsandaccreditationsystemsinplaceupthroughuppersecondary.Theriskremainsthatnon-formaleducationisconsidered‘second-chance’,aparallelbutinferiorsystemofcertification.
26 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
TheDeskReviewalsohighlightedtheweakperformanceofstudentsinNFEequivalencyprogrammes,withexampassrateswellunder40percentformostcountriesofferingNFEequivalenceintheregion(CIE-UNICEFEAPRO,2008).Follow-upresearchontheimpactofsuchcourses,theirutilityforgraduates,aswellasthesocialvalueplacedonsuchprogrammescouldshapefuturepolicydirections,curriculacontentandadvocacyinitiatives.UndertheFramework,supportcouldbechannelledtorevisingtheNFEcurriculum,textbooksandtheexaminationsystem,increasingtherelevance,aswellasthecomparability,totheformalcurriculum.
GuidelinesthatgovernteachertrainingandprofessionalsupportcanalsobeshapedwithUNICEFhelp.Atpresent,thereislittletonorolefortheprivatesectortoplayinprovidingaccreditednon-formalcoursesandthisisanareaforfuturepolicyengagement,asistheroleofweb-basedplatformsforprovidingNFEequivalencylessonsandmodules.Issuesrelatedtoqualityassurance,suchastherolesoftheprivatesectorandNGOsinservicedelivery,improvedM&Esupport,EMISlinkagesandanalysisofbarrierstoreintegrationintotheformalsystemallneedtobeassessedaspartoftheoverallcommitmenttoadolescenteducation.
CountrieswithNFEequivalencehavenotedtheneedforsocialmarketingtoraisethepublicrecognitionandvalueofthecertificateandtoovercomenegativeopinions.Suchpublicopinionissuesneedtoberecognizedandreviewedthroughresearch,withsupportforappropriaterevisiontoNFEequivalencypoliciesandguidelinesforimplementation.Thereisanincreasingnumberofnewoptionsfornon-formaleducation–linkageswithtalentacademies,withsocialmarketingandadvocacy,withICTandnetworksofsociallearningandwiththeprivatesector.Allthesebuildonthepotentialthatadolescentsbringwiththemtolearning.Flexibleschedulingandvenues,recruitmentoflocalteachersandstrongerlinkstolivelihoodsareallimportantconsiderations.
Non-formal functional literacy, livelihoods and life skills educationUNICEFcountryofficesshouldbeabletoprioritizesupportforNFEcourses,includingspecificallyfunctionalliteracyandspecificlivelihoodskills.NFEandalternativelearningapproachescanbeofferedbyNGOs,faith-basedgroups,privatesectororgovernmentpartnersusingface-to-facesessions,independentlearning,internetandDVD-basedlessons.Inworkingwithadolescentswhohavenotyetcompletedprimaryschool,emphasisshouldbeplacedonstrengtheningbasicliteracyandnumeracyskillswhileprovidingcontentthatisrelevanttolivelihoodsskills.Innovationisneededtocreatestimulatingandusefulliteracyandnumeracylessonstomotivateyoungpeopletostayinclass.Foradolescentswhohavedroppedoutoflowersecondaryschool,non-formalcoursescouldfocusmoreonlivelihoodskills.Alternativeapproachesthatnurturedecision-making,leadership,negotiationandcriticalthinkingabilitiescanbeusefulforclubsandsportsteamsandforadolescentslearningaspecificskill.TalentAcademies,whichareskills-basedratherthancertificate-awarding,buildontalentsandskillsthatadolescentsbringwiththemandarelinkedwiththebroadercommunitycontext.Aswithotherpriorityareas,decisionsregardingwhichNFEactivitiestosupportshouldbegroundedinbaselinestudies,impactassessmentsandotherdocumentation.
Insomecountries,anincreasingnumberofyoungpeoplewhohavedroppedoutoflowersecondary,arenotinterestedinobtainingaequivalencycertificate.Rather,theyareinterestedinnon-accreditedlearningwhichopensupopportunitiestosharpentheirmarketableskillsandjob-earningpotential.Moderntechnologiesallowforawiderangeofoptionstoreachsuchadolescents–includingdistanceeducationthroughradioandself-study,andthroughCDsandDVDs.UNICEFsupportcanalsofocusonbuildingpartnershipswiththeprivatesector,includingwithprivatesectorassociationsandfoundations.Suchpartnerships,basedoncorporatesocialresponsibility,orevenonprivatesectorneedsfornewstaff,canhelpbridgelearningwithearning.
27PRIORITYAREASOFINTERVENTION
ThisPriorityAreaisdirectlyrelevanttoallfourgroups,applicabletoadolescentsbothinandoutofschool,althoughitisfareasiertoimplementactivitieswiththeformer.Thefocushereisonthreeareas:
i) Activelearningandstudent-centred methodsofinstruction;ii) Studentdecision-makingandresponsibility inschoolmanagement;andiii) Studentsasagentsofchange.
Theimportanceofclassroomdynamicsandhowstudentsfeelabouttheirlearningenvironmentindeterminingacademicandnon-academicoutcomesisdrawingincreasingattentionfromeducationministriesandacademicsacrosstheregion.UNICEFregionalsupportforSELenvironmentsurveysin2008helpedtofocusattentionandguidepolicydebateonlowersecondarystudentsandtheirfeelingsofconnectednesstoschool(UNICEFEAPROSEL,2009).Akeyelementinaddressingsocialconnectivitytoschoolsistousestudent-centredlearningapproachesandtoemphasizestudents’participatoryroleinschoolmanagement.Whilecurriculaandtextbooksareinfluential,teachertrainingandsupportiveschoolmanagementpracticesarethetwokeyelementsbehindlearner-centredinstruction(OECD,2004).UNICEFcountryofficesshouldconsidersupportforpre-andin-serviceteachertrainingandheadmasterguidanceinthisrespect.Effortstoincreaseparticipatorylearningarepossibleforbothformalandnon-formaleducation.TheExtendedandContinuousEducationandLearning(EXCEL)programmeinMyanmarisanexcellentexampleofthechild-centredapproachbeingappliedtonon-formallifeskills-basededucation.EXCELviewsstudentsasactivelearners,usingteamworkactivities,ensuringrelevanceoflessonstodailylife,offeringleadershiprolestostudents,andencouragingproblemsolvingaspartofitscoursework.
iv. Promoting adolescent participation and active citizenry
Adolescentstudentscanbeidealconduitsforpassingoninformationthathelpstoimprovetheirown,andtheircommunity’s,environment.Asanexample,thegovernmentsofLaoPDRandVietNamsupportadvocacycampaignswherebystudentsknockonindividualdoorstoencourageallchildreninthecommunitytoenrolinschool.Communitymappingexercises,wherestudentspreparedetailedmapsofthecommunityandidentifyhouseholdswithout-of-schoolchildrenandthebarrierstotheirenrolmenthavealsobeenpilotedinsomecountries(i.e.,Thailand,thePhilippines).Adolescentshavebeeneffectivelyusedtomonitorfee-freepoliciesandreportpracticesthatkeeppoorerfamiliesfromsendingtheirchildrentoschool.Attentionshouldalsobeplacedonservicedlearningschemes.Inthese,studentsinpost-primaryarelinkedtopublicserviceinstitutions,servingasinternsorvolunteersinhealth,education,earlychildhood,conservationandsocialwelfaresectorsofgovernment,andinmiddle-incomecountries,withtheprivatesector.Engagementwithadolescentsaspartnersrequireschangingtheperspectivesofandtrainingteachers,schooladministratorsandmanagers/plannersatdifferentmanagementlevels(IAWGCP,2007).Theseeffortscanalsoincludeinitiativesinpeaceeducationandconflictresolutioninrecognitionoftheroleyoungpeoplewillplayinbuildingapeacefulandsustainablefutureforusall.
Amongthemanychangesthatchildrenexperienceastheyheadintoadolescenceisagreaterawarenessofandinterestintheworldaroundthem.Unfortunately,theenergy,idealismandcreativityofyoungpeopleoftenremainuntapped,especiallybythoseinstitutionssetupasbasicserviceproviders,especiallyschools.Enhancingchildren’srolesasactivecitizenscanbedonewithinabroadframeworkofyouthparticipation,butitshould
2� EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
v. Education for well-being and behaviour change
notbetakenthatadolescentsarebeingmadeaccountableforimprovingeducationsystems.Rather,whatisbeingproposedisthatadolescents,especiallyolderstudentsinprimaryschool,bekeyplayersinmakingschoolsbetter.Supportforprimaryschoolstudentcouncils,forschoolself-assessmentsandplanningandforsports,clubsandextra-curriculargroups–allinvolvingactivecitizenry–canmeaningfullyengagestudentsatriskofdroppingoutorlosinginterestintheirstudies.
UNICEFcountryofficeshaveavarietyofexperiencesinsupportingextra-curricularactivitiesandstudentcouncils.InMongolia,supportandtrainingforstudentcouncilsresultedinanationwide‘MyPassport’campaign.Studentcouncilsinschoolswereusedtosupportyoungjournalists,reportersandphotographers,andtoproducedocumentationonchildrightsthatwas
exchangedbetweenschools.InVietNam,UNICEFsupportedtheorganizationofstudentclubsforbothin-schoolandout-of-schooladolescents,organizingtheirmeetingsaroundkeyissues.Thisledtothecreationofanationalforumwhereclubrepresentativescometogethertomeetwitheducationpolicy-makerstodiscusseducationpolicy,budgetsandtheirownexperiences.Supportforschoolcouncils,clubs,studentgovernments,andextra-curricularactivitiescanbuildonawiderangeofexistingpartnershipsandstakeholders.ExcellentworkhasbeendoneinThailandwiththeNGORighttoPlay,usingsportsandgamestobuildself-confidenceandteamworkandinculcatetheprinciplesoffairplayforadolescentsinandoutofschool.Itisimportanttonotethatadvocacywitheducationministriesisneededsothatbudgetscanbeallocatedforstudentcouncilsandextra-curricularactivities.
ThisPriorityAreaappliestoallfouradolescentgroups.TheFrameworkalsoacknowledgestheimportanceofyoungchildsurvivalanddevelopment,andtherelevanceoftheRegionalStrategyonMaternalMortalitytoadolescenteducation(SavetheChildren,2007,SCFUK2007,UNICEFEAPRO,2006).
Education for well beingItisconsideredfundamentaltotheFrameworkthatalladolescentsunderstandhow,ataminimum,influenza,malaria,pneumonia,HIV,andsexuallytransmitteddiseasesaretransmittedandhowtheycanbeprevented.InEAPtoday,evenwiththeadvancesinprimaryschoolenrolment,thelevelofknowledgeaboutbasichealthandhygienepracticesandHIVpreventionisstillextremelylow.Arecentstudyaskedyoungwomenaged15-24yearstonamethreewaysthatHIVcanbetransmittedandprevented.Correctanswersrangedfromunder10percentinIndonesiatojustover40percentinVietNam(UNICEFEAPRO,2005;WorldBank,2005).Whilewerecognizethatknowledgealonedoesnotchangebehaviour,a
fundamentalroleofeducationistoensurethatallcitizenshavebasicknowledgeaboutreproductivehealthandthatclearinformationisavailable.Studiesprovideevidenceontheimpactandefficacyofvariouscommunicationmodes(posters,peer-to-peer,modularizedlessons,etc)andcanhelpshedlightonthemosteffectivemeansofraisinglevelsofawarenessandunderstandingrelatedtoyoungchildsurvivalanddevelopmentandthepreventionofHIV,swineflu,avianinfluenza,etc.SucheffortsshouldbecarriedoutwithourUN,civilsocietyandbilateralpartnerswhereverpossible.
Social and emotional learningBlumandothershavefoundadirectcorrelationbetweentheSELenvironmentandadolescentsocialbehaviour,learningachievementandsuccessinvariousdevelopmentalindicators.Governmentswithintheregionarepayinggreaterattentiontothenotionof‘connectivity’andtherelationshipbetweensecondaryschoolstudentsandtheirschools(SEAMEOBruneiandKualaLumpur).AdolescentsinAsiareport
29PRIORITYAREASOFINTERVENTION
thattheydonotfeelclosetotheirteachersorotherstudents,thatlargenumbersexperiencefearandabuseinschool,andthatharassment,discriminationandbullyingareimpedingtheirabilitytolearn(UNICEF,SpeakingOut,2005).Students’interestsin,andhowwelltheydoatschool(bothacademicallyandnon-academically)aredirectlylinkedtotheSELclimate.Surveysusedobservation,questionnairesandfocusgroupdiscussiontomeasureSELclimatesinwaysthatcanbelinkedtootherdata,includingattendance,completionandlearningachievement.Thusfar,UNICEFofficesinfivecountrieshaveprovidedinitialsupporttosuchsurveys.InthecaseofChina,theinitialSELpilotallowedresearchersandeducationministrystafftocollectdatafromseveralschools,wheretheyfoundsignificantdifferencesinlevelsofSEL,whichcorrelatedwithothermeasuresofqualityintheseschools.
TwomainareasofSELfollow-upwereidentifiedduringaUNICEFregionalworkshopin2009.Firstisforcountryofficestodomoretomainstreamlifeskillsandchild-centredprocessesandmethodologiesintoallsubjectsoflearningandschoolmanagementpractices.Thismeans,forexample,thatamathlessoncanbetaughtinamannerthatreinforceslifeskillsprinciples,suchasnegotiation,effectivecommunicationorproblemsolving.ThisintegrationrequiresUNICEFinvolvementinteachertraining(bothpre-andin-service),alongwithschoolmanagementreform(toencouragenewschoolpracticesandnewrelationshipswithstudents),andcurriculumandmaterialsdevelopment.
Second,countrieswerekeentocontinuerefiningmethodstoassessSELenvironments,usingclimatesurveysorothertools.Dataonhowstudentsfeelabouttheirschoolenvironmentandhowthisrelatestootherindicatorscanprovideabasisforadvocacyandinputintopolicyformulation.StudiesonpositivedeviancethatidentifyschoolsindifficultcircumstancesbutwithgoodSELclimatesandotherpositiveeducationaloutcomescanhelppinpointkeyfactorsinfluencingschoolperformance.Helpingstudent-ledorganizationssetactionplansand
monitortheirschoolenvironmenthasproveneffectiveinsomecontexts.Supportforexpandedprotectionnetworksinschoolsandincreasingawarenessofthevulnerabilitiesandsocial-emotionalneedsofstudentsrequiresthebackingofschoolmanagement.Theseapproachescanbeintegratedand/ormainstreamedintobothformalandnon-formaleducationthroughcurriculumandteachertraining,studentcouncilsandextra-curricularactivities.
Emergency preparedness and disaster risk reductionImprovingemergencypreparednessanddisasterriskreduction(DRR)foradolescentsisanareainneedofgreaterattention.Currently,theimmediateresponseisfocusedonprimaryeducation,withverylittleattentiongiventoensuringsecondarylearningcontinues.Almostnoattentionispaidtoeducationalrights,astheseyoungpeoplearetoooldtojoinovercrowdedtemporaryprimaryschoolsandthereisnoprovisionfornon-formaleducation.Thisisaseriousgapthatneedstobeaddressed.Weneedtodevelopaproactiveapproachtogetalldisplacedchildrenintolearningprogrammes,bothformalandnon-formal–includingolderchildren.Thetriedandtestedschool-in-a-boxapproachcouldeasilybeadaptedtolowersecondaryanduppersecondarylevels.Olderchildrencouldalsobemotivatedtoserveas‘assistantteachers’forprimaryclasses,whilestillhavinganopportunitytostudyatthesecondarylevel,withaccesstotextbookmaterials.
Theintroductionofbasicandfunctionalliteracyandlivelihoodskillstrainingthroughnon-formalapproaches,andknowledgeforbehaviourchangeareofdirectrelevancetoeducationinemergencyandpreparednessplanning.Inaddition,secondaryschoolstudentssuffertremendousstressifemergencieseruptandcausedisplacementortheclosureofschoolsduringnationalexams.Aspartofoverallemergencyreadiness,educationsystemsshouldhavepoliciesinplacethatallowthosestudentswhoexamsaredisruptedtohavespecialprovisionsmadeontheirbehalf.
30 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
vi. Areas not recommended for UNICEF support
ThereisalsoagooddealofworkthatcanbedonearoundDRR,especiallywhenlinkedtoadolescentsasactivecitizens,asmentionedabove.Schoolreadinessplans–includingdrillsandgeneralawarenessaboutpreparedness–needtobeabsorbedintoschoolmanagement.ExperienceswithDRRintheregionhavehighlightedtheimportanceofworkingdirectlywithstudentsatthesecondarylevel,bothsotheyarepreparedincaseofemergenciesandalsotomitigatetheeffectoftheseemergenciesontheirlivesandcommunities.Excellentworkhasalreadybeendoneintheregioninthisrespect,especiallyintheaftermathoftheAsiantsunamiemergency.Environmentalawareness,linkedtoclimatechangeandDRR,helpsto
focuseducationonsustainabledevelopmentandtherealitiesofthecommunity.Schoolscanbecomelesswastefulofenergy,withlesslitteringandwastearoundtheschoolcompound.Studentsandschoolmanagementcanuserecycling,energy-efficientideas,hygienicandwater-efficientsanitationsystemsandotherinnovationsaspartoftheirclassprojectsandasstudentmanagementresponsibilities.SavetheChildren’spublicationonchild-leddisasterriskreductionisanexcellentreferenceonworkingwithyoungpeopleasaresource.LinkingDRRwiththeworkingwithCFSframeworkforpost-primarysettingsisanotherareaforfutureresearchandadvocacy(SCFUK2007,UNICEF2006).
TherearefivemajorareasofadolescenteducationthattheFrameworkwouldnotrecommendcountryofficessupport:
• Vocationaleducationcentres• Large-scaleconstructionofsecondaryschools• Curriculumrevisionorboutiqueextra- curricularmaterials• Conditionalcashtransfersandincentives• Uppersecondaryandhighereducation
TheFrameworkdoesnotencourageUNICEFengagementwithtraditionalvocationaleducationcentresandadvancedskillstraining.Rather,itfavoursengagementinbasiclivelihoods,lifeskillsandpracticalvocationaleducationforadolescentswhohavenotcompletedlowersecondary.Italsoisnotforlarge-scaleconstructionofsecondaryschoolswhichisnotUNICEF’scomparativeadvantage(evenafteremergencies).However,constructionintermsofmodellingnewschooldesignsandsettingstandardsisencouraged,asisbuildingwaterandtoiletinfrastructureforsecondaryschools.
Countryofficesarediscouragedfromleadingnationalsecondarycurriculumrevision,whichis
alsonotUNICEF’scomparativeadvantage.Buttheymaysupportspecificaspectsofnationalcurriculumrevisionandreform,suchassettingstandards,providinggenderandrightsaudits,orsupportinglifeskillsorknowledgeforwell-beingwithinthecurriculum.Withconditionalcashtransfers(CCTs)long-termcommitmentsarerequiredforimpact,andsecuredfundingfor5-10yearsisnotsomethingUNICEFprogrammesareinapositiontooffer.FindingthebalancebetweenthetargetingandmanagementaspectsofCCTswitharightsperspectiveisimportantandisanareathatUNICEFcansupportthroughresearchandassessmentratherthanthroughdirectprovision.Jointprogramming,whereUNICEFsupportsthesoftwarecomponentsofschoolmanagementorthetargetingprocess,andotherpartnersprovideincentivesorcashareencouraged.
Lastly,countryofficesarediscouragedfromengagingatuppersecondaryandhighereducationlevels.Otherprogrammesectorsmaybeactivewiththisgroup,butoutsideofpre-serviceeducation,thisisnotaneducationalpriority.
31ISSUESFORCONSIDERATION
Vi. Issues for consideration
i. UNICEF’s upstream focusWorkingtogetherwithotherdevelopmentpartnerstoleverageresourcesandinfluencenationalprogrammesandpoliciesstrengthenstheeffectivenessofsuchefforts.Asanexample,UNICEFVietNaminpartnershipwithUNESCOledaresearchstudyonthetransitionofethnicminoritygirlsintolowersecondaryschool.WhileneitherUNICEFnorUNESCOweresupportingspecificactivitiesforsecondaryeducation,researchinthisareawasencouragedbythegovernmentandotherdonorsasameansofsheddinglightonpossiblesolutionstotheinequitiesrelatedtoethnicminoritygirls’education.Thisresearch,boththroughitsapproachandfindings,ishavingadirectinfluenceonspecific
governmentpoliciesandresourceallocationbyothereducationpartners.
UNICEFhasdecadesofexperienceinconductinginnovativepilots,especiallyinresponsetotheeducationalneedsofdisadvantagedgroups.However,givenhumanresourceandbudgetconstraints,careisneededtoensurethatpilotsdonotbecomeboutiqueprojectswithalimitedimpactandnoexitstrategy.Arigorouspilotregimen,withgovernmentownership,stakeholderinterest,aclearbaselineandassessmentofresultsandastrategicapproachforadvocacyandtheuseofthefindings,areallnecessarytoensureanupstreamimpact.
ii. Link with other MTSP prioritiesAdolescentsarebothakeytargetgroupofandakeypartnerinachievingallthegoalsofthefiveMTSPFocusAreas.TheStrategicFrameworkforadolescenteducationmustbeabletoaccommodatethediverseexpectations
ofotherprogrammeareasandsectors.Essentialmessages,knowledgeandskills,asidentifiedbycolleaguesintheprotection,HIV/AIDSandyoungchildsurvivalanddevelopmentsectorsneedtobeintegratedintoformaland
To make the most of the limited resources available to invest in adolescent education, it is important to align the new EAP strategy with MTSP Focus Area 5 and its approach to policy advocacy. Research, standard-setting and public advocacy can have an impact far beyond what UNICEF resources alone can achieve. Building a strong evidence-base, filling in knowledge gaps, and utilizing data to inform policies and plans is an important contribution that UNICEF can make to adolescent education.
©UNICEF/NYHQ2000-0153/ShehzadNoorani
32 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
protectionissuesorsafetyagainstpandemics.Collectively,countryofficescanensurethatadolescentsaregivenadequateopportunitiestoabsorbkeymessages(suchashandwashing)andinformationthroughtheireducationexperience.Itwouldbeunfortunateifdifferentsectorsusedtheformalschoolsystem–eithertodisseminateinformationorforbroaderparticipationandadvocacycampaigns–withoutclosecollaborationandconsultationwithUNICEFeducationcolleagues.Nationaleducationstrategiesandsectorplansmayhavesetclearlydefinedpriorityareasforadolescentswhichcolleaguesfromothersectorsmaynotbeawareof.EnsuringthatcollectiveeffortstoachieveMDGsthroughtheeducationsystemandschoolsrequireclosecoordinationwith,ifnotleadershipby,educationcolleagues.
iii. One UN and sector-wide approachesAdolescentsarebothakeytargetgroupofandakeypartnerinachievingallthegoalsofthefiveMTSPFocusAreas.TheStrategicFrameworkforadolescenteducationmustbeabletoaccommodatethediverseexpectationsofotherprogrammeareasandsectors.Essentialmessages,knowledgeandskills,asidentifiedbycolleaguesintheprotection,HIV/AIDSandyoungchildsurvivalanddevelopmentsectorsneedtobeintegratedintoformalandnon-formalprogrammesinacoordinatedmannerthatdoesnotovercrowdthecurriculumandoverwhelmstudents.Educationprofessionalsneedtosupporttheircross-sectorcolleaguesindesigningcurricula,information/communicationmaterialsandlessonsthatareappropriate,effectiveandencourageactivelearningwithdefinableoutcomes.EducationstaffinUNICEFcountryofficesneedstobeproactiveincoordinatingoffice-wideeducationeffortsforadolescents,orweruntheriskofhavingdisparatepilotactivitiesforsimilartargetgroupsthatareproject-based,unsustainableandineffective.
AdolescenteducationmayormaynotfeatureprominentlyintheCommonCountryAssessment(CCA)andtheUNDevelopment
AssistanceFramework(UNDAF).Incountrieswhereyouthandadolescentsareaprioritytargetgroup,notablyinthePacificaswellasinseveralmiddle-incomecountries,wecanexpectgreaterattentiontobeplacedonadolescentsandyouthintheseplans.UNICEFshouldensurethatthedataprovidedfortheSituationAnalysisandCCAfortheUNDAFincludedisaggregatedandqualitativedataonsecondary,non-formalandout-of-schooladolescentpopulations.ThefouradolescentgroupsarticulatedforthisFrameworkareofferedasabasisforinitialanalysiswhiledetaileddatacanhelpinformjointdiscussionsonhowtoaddressglaringdisparities.Certainly,themorethatadolescenteducationissuesareraisedinUNandsector-widediscussions,thegreaterthechanceofpartnershipandachievingsustainableresults.TheFrameworkrecognizesthevaluedrolethatotherpartnersplay,withUNESCOaleadagencyinnon-formalandvocationaleducationandadultliteracy.Inthisregion,theAsianDevelopmentBank,theWorldBank,theEU,theUKDepartmentforInternationalDevelopment,AusAID,USAID,theSwedishInternationalDevelopmentAgency,theJapanInternationalCooperationAgency,SavetheChildren,PlanInternational,
non-formalprogrammesinacoordinatedmannerthatdoesnotovercrowdthecurriculumandoverwhelmstudents.Educationprofessionalsneedtosupporttheircross-sectorcolleaguesindesigningcurricula,information/communicationmaterialsandlessonsthatareappropriate,effectiveandencourageactivelearningwithdefinableoutcomes.EducationstaffinUNICEFcountryofficesneedstobeproactiveincoordinatingoffice-wideeducationeffortsforadolescents,orweruntheriskofhavingdisparatepilotactivitiesforsimilartargetgroupsthatareproject-based,unsustainableandineffective.
CountryManagementTeamsneedtoidentifythemostvitalareasofimportancetoadolescents,whethertheyarerelatedtoaccidentsandinjuries,HIVprevention,
33ISSUESFORCONSIDERATION
iv. PartnershipsUNICEFplacesgreatimportanceonbuildingeffectivepartnershipsineducationintheEAPregion.TheEastAsiaandPacificRegionalOfficeisakeymemberoftheRegionalEFAThematicWorkingGroup(TWG)formedunderESCAP,co-chairedwithUNESCOandembracing15UN,internationalNGO,foundationandcivilsocietymemberorganizations.TheEFATWGwasresponsibleforoverseeingtheEFAMid-DecadeAssessmentprocess,withthethemeof‘reachingtheunreached’andafocusonsub-nationaldata.GenderequalityineducationisbeingadvancedthroughtheregionalUNGirls’EducationInitiative(UNGEI)partnership,whichEAPROco-chairsjointlywithUNESCOBangkok.
Atthecountrylevel,variouspartnershipsexist,includingclustercoordinationforemergencyresponseandsectorcoordinationthroughEducationSectorWorkingGroups.Intermsofregionalpartners,significantmentionmustbemadeofUNESCOBangkok,andthebiggerroleitcouldpotentiallyplayinmanyareas,suchasNFE,secondaryschoolpolicyandeducationforsustainabledevelopment.WeshouldbelookingatworkinginamoresystematicwaywithUNESCOasregardsadolescents,providingsupportwhenitcantaketheleadorforspecifictasks.OtherkeypartnersintheregionincludetheAsianDevelopmentBank,whichisveryactiveinpost-primaryeducation,andtheEUandWorldBankwhicharealsoactiveinpost-primaryandhighereducation.TheNGOcommunity,inparticularSavetheChildrenFund,Plan,WorldEducationandCare,arealsoactiveinnon-formaleducation,andincreasingly,secondaryschooleducationfordisadvantagedgroupsasarebilaterals,includingAusAID,JICA,SIDAandUSAID.Nationalmappingexercisesofpartnersandthe
rolesthatvariousstakeholdersplayinadolescenteducationisavaluablecontributionUNICEFcanmaketothesector.
Therearefewnationalnetworksorcoalitionsforsecondaryeducationsuchasthosebetweenprivateandpublicschools,faith-basedgroups,NGOs,privateandcommunitycharterschoolsandeducationministries.Networkscanbecreatedthroughpartnershipsandmightinvolvethemutualsharingofexpertisebetweenthegovernmentandgroupsatthenationalandlocallevel.Collaborationwithteacherunionsandprofessionalassociationscanalsobefosteredwithaneyetoself-regulation,theintegrationofprotectionissuesintotheteachingprofessionandthestrengtheningofreferral/responsemechanisms.Workwiththeprivatesectormightrevolvearoundfosteringanethosofcorporateresponsibility,withbusinessesadoptingschoolsforlife-longlearningorsupportingcommunitiesforearlychildhooddevelopmentcentres.Theprivatesectorisaconsumerofwhattheeducationsystemprovides,andpartnershipswiththebusinesscommunitythatsupporttheemploymentofyoungpeople,forexample,shouldbeonthelistofoptions.Evenwithsupportivepolicyenvironments,agreaterpushisneededtoexpandservicelearningopportunitiesandcommunityserviceprogrammeswithlinkstotheprivatesectorandlocalgovernmentagencies.UNICEFshouldnotbeshyaboutprovidingsupporttotheprivatesectortoaddresstheeducationalrightsofdisadvantagedadolescentsandleveragingitsresources,creativityandneedsforaskilledandeducatedlabourforce.
CareandWorldVisionareallactiveinsupportingeducationforadolescents.Therolestheseorganizationsplayiscriticalforprioritizing
targetgroups,fordeterminingUNICEF’scomparativeadvantageandfordevelopingstrategicinterventions.
34 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
v. GenderThroughouttheregion,thegapbetweenboysandgirlsatthesecondarylevelismuchlargerthaninprimary.Asmentionedpreviously,disparitiesingenderparityexistforbothboysandgirlsandinmanycountrieswithnationalgenderparity,considerablegapsexistatsub-nationallevels.ForsecondaryenrolmentinMyanmar,forexample,girlsareatgreaterdisadvantageinthewestofthecountry,whilefarfewerboysattendsecondaryschoolsintheeasternregions.InMyanmar,andinmanyotherEAPcountries,wefindthatsocio-economicstatus,notgender,isthemostinfluentialfactorineducationperformanceintheareawherethehighestdisparitiesexist.Thegraphbelowshowsthelevelsofdisparityfavouringboysandgirlsintheregion.Itisthroughsub-nationalanalysisthattheimportanceofarefinedpolicyapproachbecomesclear.Governmentsneedatargetedapproachtoaddressinggenderamongstadolescents,onethatisbasedonevidenceandconsidersthespecificcontextsofdiversepopulations.
Itisimportanttokeepinmindthatgenderequalityisfarmoresignificantthangenderparity.Equalenrolmentratesdonottranslate
intoequalcompletionratesorequalityinthenumbersadvancingtohigherlevelsofeducation.Similarly,genderparitysaysnothingabouttheeducationexperience,includingthegenderbiasesincurriculaandtextbooks,ortheoverallclassroomexperience.Withtheirburgeoningsexuality,girlsareparticularlyvulnerabletoharassmentandsexualabuse,althoughboysarebynomeanssafefromsuchabusebyteachers,classmatesandtheschoolatlarge.Genderauditsofschoolcurriculaandtextbookmaterialshavebeenconductedinjustafewcountriesintheregionandveryfewgovernmentshaveundertakensubstantialgenderreviewsoftextbooks.Theselectionofeducationprofessionalsisalsoextremelybiasedalonggenderlines,withwomenmakinguptheranksofpre-schoolandprimaryschoolteachers,whilemengenerallydominateinsecondary,post-secondaryandeducationmanagementpositions.Classroomandschoolmanagementpracticesareoftensteepedinsocialnormsthatreinforcegendertypecasting,withgirlssweepingandcleaningtoiletsatschoolandboyslefttoenjoysportsactivities.UNICEFcountryofficesareencouragedtocarryoutgender-basedresearchandpolicyadvocacyasakeyelementoftheiradolescenteducationefforts.
Cambodia
Lao PDR
Papua new Gunea
Myanmar
Indonesia
Singapore
Vanuatu
Republic of Korea
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Mongolia
Higher enrolment of girlsHigher enrolment of boys
Percent14 12 10 8 6 4 2 20 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Figure 4: Gender gaps in secondary enrolment
Source:UNESCO.EFAGlobalMonitoringReport2005,TheWorldBank.YouthinNumbersSeries,EastAsiaandthePacific(Draft),November2004
35ISSUESFORCONSIDERATION
vi. MigrationThisregionismarkedbysignificantlevelsofmigration,mostwhichisinternal,butallofwhichcanleadtoadisruptionineducation,oratleasttodistractionsinschoolinterestandchangesinaccesstoschool.InChinaalone,55millionchildrenhavebeenleftathomebyparentswhohavemigratedforwork,while27millionhavemigratedwiththeirparents.Childrenwhofollowtheirparentsinmigratingtourbancentresandareasofeconomicopportunityfacedifferentenrolmentpolicies,aswellasalackofsupportivelearningenvironments,especiallyinovercrowdedclasseswithscarceresources.Childrenleftbehindbymigratingparentshavetheirownchallengestoovercome,intermsofdisruptiontohomeenvironment,thelackoffamilysupportandpotentialriskstofamilyincome.Whilethereisnodoubtthatlarge-scalemigrationofpopulationshasadirectimpactonschoolingandchildren’scapacitytolearn,weknowlittleaboutthisarea.Moreresearchisrequiredontheimpactsofmigrationonchildren’seducation,includingschoolperformance,feelingsofconfidenceandconnectedness,andhopesforthefuture.
Thereisalsoadditionalworktobedone,fromarightsperspective,oncross-bordermigrationrelatedtoeducation,andtherolethatsub-regionaleducationpolicycanplayintermsofrecognizingneighbouringcountries’accreditationandcertificationprocesses,especiallyatpost-primarylevels.Investigatingwaystoprovidecross-bordereducationalopportunitiesforuppersecondaryandtertiaryeducationaswellasforspecificvocationaltradesandskillsrequireslong-termvisionandthecommitmentofgovernmentsandotherpartners.InthePacific,considerableworkhasbeendonetoensurethatsecondaryschoolcertificationinonecountrycanleadtoacceptanceinhighereducationinanother.InASEANcountries,throughtheSEAMEOnetwork,educationministersareseekingtoaddresstheeducationalneedsandrightsoftheiradolescentswhohavemigratedtoothercountries.UNICEFhasaroletoplay,intermsofpolicy,advocacyandresearchthatcanprovideabasisforcrossbordercollaboration.
36 EducationforAdolescentsUNICEFEAPStrategicFramework
AnidealtimetousethisFrameworkisduringCountryProgrammepreparation,orwhenplanningforaMid-TermReview.Bothoftheseprocessesoffertheopportunitytocollectspecificinformationonadolescenteducation.Suchresearchcouldhighlightcurrentattitudes,howstudentsfeelabouttheirschools,theirbehaviour,orcouldfocusoncost-effectiveinnovationorgoodpractices.Forasituationanalysis,itisessentialthattheeducationsectiontakestheleadinreviewingalleducationsupportforadolescents.However,itmaybepossibletoestablishacredibleinter-sectoralteamortaskforcetohelpprocuredata.
TheFrameworkwillnodoubtsparkdebate,whichinfactiswhatitaimstodo.AnargumentstilllingersoverUNICEF’scomparativeadvantageinsupportingbasicliteracy
programmes.Thenewstrategy’srecommendationnottobackvocationaleducation,forexample,willcertainlystimulatereactioninsomequarters.TheFrameworkwillfeedintotheglobalADAPStrategy,whichshouldbefinalizedinearly2010andaConceptNotefromtheAdolescentEducationTaskforce,setupbytheEducationClusterinNewYork.
Thenewstrategy’ssuccesswillbemeasuredbyitsrelevanceto,anduseby,countryoffices.Asitunfurls,astructuredreviewprocesswillbeputintoplacetoprovidefeedbackthatwillbereflectedinanyfuturerefinement.TheFrameworkaimstotakeadolescenteducationoffthebackburnerandgiveitamuch-deservedhigherprofile.Inessence,itisaboutunleashingcreativityandinnovationtoproperlyeducateagenerationinwhosehandsourfuturelies.
Vii. Using the Strategic FrameworkThe ultimate purpose of the Framework is to help UNICEF country offices devise a strategic approach for addressing the educational rights of adolescents. If the analysis they undertake as part of the process is of interest to governments and the wider donor community, the Framework may also have an influence on national policy and sector plans. It should, at the very least, help country offices set priorities and coordinate the disparate education-related activities for adolescents that different sectoral programmes might be supporting.
©UNICEF/NYHQ1999-0920/RogerLeMoyn
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