Certification of the learning attainments of refugee and internally displaced students: IRC experience in West Africa

Refugee education programs in Guinea: –Large scale programs for Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees Primary & Secondary education Additional activities – social clubs etc –Average annual program budget ( ): $1.2m –Average refugee student pop ( ): –Large scale teacher ed, support and development Teacher training Classroom support and supervision Classroom assistants

1991: Harmonized curriculum + teacher training + grades conversion chart Discussions with MoE & WAEC in Liberia and S L; Liberia more successful than Sierra Leone : WAEC Liberia exams in Guinea at Grade 9 & 12; (5051 students (2258 G9; 2793 G12)) Resistance from SL; Sts sit Liberian WAEC, but repeat final years & re-sit WAEC SL. 1998: Dialogue with MoEs (SL & Liberia) on teacher certification. MoE Liberia agrees, MoE SL not : Charles Taylor reneges on WAEC Liberia in Guinea. IRC grad certificates unrecognized Conflict in Liberia, but teacher training continues March 2002: Teacher training for SL teachers with S L distance ed modules, and S L teacher educators. Repatriating teachers complete the remaining modules for certification. Programme suspended 2004 With MoE Guinea support, MoE Lib WAEC exams in 2004 &5 (Grads: 1166 in 04, 2261 in 05). MoE S L allows private student registration for returnees Renegotiation with MoE Liberia on teacher ed MoU with MoE Liberia for ‘C’ certification of teachers in Guinea 472 Liberian teachers graduate, in presence of Minister of Education of Liberia.

Key Issues Language, ethnicity and identity –Anglophone refugees in Guinea (francophone) and Sierra Leone (anglophone) Government policies and capacities: –Separate negotiations with MoEs and WAEC –Student certification approved in Liberia –then reneged –Challenges with Sierra Leonean authorities Length of displacement: informal -> increasing formality Fees, family finances and access

1 Strengths Supporting refugee education in very different host community contexts Maintaining student progress in familiar system Familiar to parents and community Building on teachers’ prior experience Building teacher and administrator capacity Maintaining hope for rapid return Strengthening national identity Easy reintegration and application of learning to reconstruction processes (teachers and students) Limitations Significant cost implications Depends on agreements with host MoE Susceptible to political changes May not meet some of new learning needs (e.g. safety and security life- skills, host community language) Refugee-host community relations Facilitation of cross-border examinations for IDP and refugees students

Strengths Ownership from MoE Relationships and cohesion between host and displaced populations Access to host services, opportunities etc. (e.g. higher education) Opportunities to strengthen host system - esp school supervision, CAs, teacher ed Technical support provided from host education system (e.g. teacher training, school supervision) Limitations Requires system compatibility Requires good inter-community relations Requires political commitment, financial and human resources for ‘absorption’ Challenges/ barriers for refugee teachers Resistance from teachers May perpetuate inequities/ perceptions of superiority of one system over another Possible compromises in relevance Facilitation of host country school access and examinations for refugees students

West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) Established 1952 with MoEs Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria, Sierra-Leone, Gambia Liberia joined in Original ordinances replaced with WAEC Convention as international organization No mandate or policies for refugee certification

Cross border exam facilitation WAEC responded to 1991 request to create exam centres in refugee schools in Guinea Initially working through MoE Liberia. Challenges: –Political challenges, delicate balance between national politics and regional collab –Government of Sierra Leone not supporting WAEC; policy to promote refugee return –Practical challenges: security exam papers, financial constraints to travel and cross-border exam facilitation. –Legitimacy of refugee learning questioned

1991: Harmonized curriculum + teacher training + grades conversion chart Discussions with MoE & WAEC in Liberia and S L; Liberia more successful than Sierra Leone : WAEC Liberia exams in Guinea at Grade 9 & 12; (5051 students (2258 G9; 2793 G12)) Resistance from SL; Sts sit Liberian WAEC, but repeat final years & re-sit WAEC SL. 1998: Dialogue with MoEs (SL & Liberia) on teacher certification. MoE Liberia agrees, MoE SL not : Charles Taylor reneges on WAEC Liberia in Guinea. IRC grad certificates unrecognized Conflict in Liberia, but teacher training continues March 2002: Teacher training for SL teachers with S L distance ed modules, and S L teacher educators. Repatriating teachers complete the remaining modules for certification. Programme suspended 2004 With MoE Guinea support, MoE Lib WAEC exams in 2004 &5 (Grads: 1166 in 04, 2261 in 05). MoE S L allows private student registration for returnees Renegotiation with MoE Liberia on teacher ed MoU with MoE Liberia for ‘C’ certification of teachers in Guinea 472 Liberian teachers graduate, in presence of Minister of Education of Liberia.

‘Transferable’ host community certification WAEC and MoE Sierra Leone certification for Liberian children in host community schools. Students registered in host schools. IRC paid exam fees WAEC Liberia validates certificates for higher education SL WAEC exams respected over Liberian exams, so no validation/ recognition issues for returnees to schools WAEC Ghana exams for Liberian students in Ghana WAEC Ghana exams highly regarded and no validation/ recognition issues for returnees

Opportunities for some who missed out WAEC Sierra Leone certification possibilities for those who missed out (graduates ) Registration as private candidates to sit for exams No pre-requisites required But time and economic challenges: –Exam fees (approximately Leones per student –1 school year for continuous assessment