Preparedness, Response and Recovery in education emergencies in Guit and Koch Counties of Unity State. In Koch County, fifty seven (57) schools remain closed since the May 2015 conflict as the security situation could not allow resumption of activities in the county.  Pre-conflict school enrollment numbers totaled 19,034 students (Boys 14,013 Girls 5,021). The wave of violence and displacement aggravated an already difficult education situation, with poor school infrastructure. In addition to some schools being destroyed, education materials were also burned in Koch and this has made it difficult for the resumption of schools. 

In Guit County, only 2 out of 25 schools have re-opened since the 2013 conflict. It’s pre-conflict enrollment was 14,267 students and current rates in four (4) schools are down to 1,137 students (B – 873, G – 264), a drastic 95% drop. There  are  no female teacher mentors  for girls as only 4.3% (12 out 279) of the teachers  in the county are female thus impacting negatively to girl child education. Guit County has many obstacles which impacted negatively to improve the quality of education and these factors include Lack of skills in PSS, counseling and coping skills of teachers and PTAs, Teachers’ lack of knowledge of life and life saving skills reluctance of trained teachers to transmit life and life saving skills to children and youth, Lack of capacity of teachers to identify and refer for specialized support and assistance, Lack of engagement of community and government in proper school management, resulting in lack of maintenance of school facilities, Lack of qualified teachers, high turnover, irregular presence of teachers due to insecurity, and low amount of incentives or salary and/or delayed payment of salaries.

This project aims to  provide learning opportunities to the learners by increasing protective learning spaces and training teachers and parents on how to protect children, enabling children to choose alternatives to exploitative ends, and contribute to sustaining their lives. It will be achieved through provision of school supplies to 6 schools in Guit (Kuach, Kadet, Nimni) and Koch (Rier, Bieh, Latgoah), establishment of temporary learning spaces (TLS) and light rehabilitation of classrooms in Guit (Kadet, Nimni) and Koch (Norbor, Patit), and the identification of teachers and Early Childhood Development (ECD) school mentors in Koch (Patiet, Bieh, Rier), providing trainings in psychosocial and life skills plus emergency preparedness and provision of incentives for teaching facilitators. Also, this project will strengthened ECD integration into nutrition programming in order to nurture the child’s mind at the early stage.

As for ECD, mothers often do not have the time or knowledge to best stimulate brain development for their infants and young children.  Many of the women are preoccupied with providing food and water for the families.  ECD activities can easily be linked to nutrition OTP sites in order to save mothers’ time:  
 Lessons will be held next to 3 OTP sites (Bieh, Rier and Boaw) as the children are waiting to be measured and weighed, to provide instructive activity while they wait.
 ECD is defined as “developing concepts” into the child’s mind children will receive lessons that encompass social, emotional, self help and adaptive behavior.

Instability and conflict has had a negative impact on the psychosocial state of many young learners and their families. Unfortunately most teachers in Guit and Koch Counties are unable to effectively deliver psychosocial support to those suffering the negative impacts of historic and current insecurity. Additionally, 140 representatives from among vulnerable populations, including IDPs and host communities, will be reached through emergency preparedness trainings offered through the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs). This education will reduce the long term negative impact resulting from conflicts on all groups in Guit and Koch Counties.