Preparedness of two public schools in North Gaza to serve as Designated Emergency Shelters and as post-emergency Collective Centers This project is an emergency preparedness activity which aims at mitigating the immediate effect of displacement due to natural disaster or conflict through preparedness of two public schools in the Northern Governorate of Gaza Strip to serve as Designated Emergency Shelters (DES) and post-emergency Collective Centers. The 2 selected schools (Faluja Secondary School, Hafsa Secondary school, both girls schools located in Jabalia) will be prepared and upgraded according to agreed Shelter and WASH standards including safety, gender, and protection concerns. It needs to be noted that after submission of this proposal it was agreed within the PA school shelter task force (with presence of OCHA) that NRC will change the previously selected 2 schools (submitted to OCHA) to the above mentioned 2 schools in the North Governorate of Gaza (Faluja Secondary School and Hafsa Secondary School) which were defined as higher priority based on the selection criteria defined by the task force. 
The upgrading of PA schools to serve as Designated Emergency Shelters and post-emergency Collective Centers was decided based on lessons learnt from the 2014 war ‘Operation Protective Edge’ (OPE) which led to severe overcrowding of UNRWA schools. The minimum standards and the technical scope of required works have been jointly developed in the OCHA-led PA school shelter task force in which NRC participates among other UN organizations, INGOs, and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE). 
The proposed intervention in 2 public schools will include (1) maintenance/repair works of existing Shelter-and WASH related infrastructure and facilities, (2) required upgrading works and (3) procurement of necessary equipment according to the agreed upon technical standards. The maintenance/repair works include windows, doors, handrails, electrical installation and lighting systems and WASH services. The upgrading works include partitions, protection film for windows, emergency exit, latrine units, shower units, water storage tanks, and solar heating systems for hot water amongst others. The procurement includes, amongst others, the supply and installation of fire extinguishers and solar system for emergency lighting. 
Due to the recommendation to NRC to select 2 other schools for upgrade (reasons explained above), NRC conducted a completely new detailed technical assessment for each school (BoQ attached) after submission of the previous proposal. To upgrade both schools according to the scope of work defined by the task force, it would now actually require a higher budget-line for implementation (total: 350.825 USD) than previously approved by OCHA for the 2 schools (292.000 USD). In order to match the previously approved budget (292.000 USD) with the cost to cover the minimum upgrade needs of the 2 newly selected schools 350.825 USD), certain items for upgrade had to be removed from the BoQ (electrical ceiling fan, electrical generator, sun-shed, kitchen) or decreased in quantity (e.g. number of fire extinguishers, storage tanks, solid waste containers).

The project will be implemented during 6 months through a bid-winning contractor with close site supervision and monitoring by NRC Shelter Staff. 
The project will be coordinated with the OCHA led cluster system, the MoEHE and MoSA, respective municipalities, ECHO partners upgrading 6 schools and any other potential agency.  

This project responds to the Shelter Cluster Objective 3 to mitigate the risk and immediate effect of displacement due to natural disasters or conflict through preparedness and appropriate emergency shelter interventions. It adresses the country level Strategic Objective 3 to strengthen the ability of acutely-vulnerable Palestinian households to cope with protracted threats and shocks through the provision of adaptation support to Designated Emergency Shelters in Gaza (Activity).