1. Education in Emergency:
A Review of the Evidence of the Protracted Displacement of Liberan Refugees In Ghana
A Category of Analysis from my MA Thesis on the
Human and Environmental Security Implications of the
Protracted Displacement of Liberian Refugees in Ghana
Jenkins Divo Macedo
Monday, December 12, 11

2. Monday, December 12, 11

3. Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Opening Quotations
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3. Guiding Principles and Values of EIE
2. Education in Emergency at the Buduburam Refugee Settlement
2.1. The Role of State and Non-State Actors
2.2. Targets of Education
3. Narratives Results and Issues from Field Research
4. What Next?
5. Reference
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4. Opening Quotations
“The lack of funds prevent us from reaching as
many children as possible in getting them to school”
(An interview response from a staff of a
UNHCR partnering agency in Ghana).
“About half of the total Liberian Refugee population
at the settlement are children and most of them are
out of school, because parents cannot pay their
tuition in local schools. The UNHCR said refugees
should consider repatriation”
(An interview response from a staff of Point Hope, a Non-
Governmental Organization providing scholarship for about
300 children at the refugee settlement).
“If education is basic human right, the UNHCR has
violated that right”(An interview response refugee activist group,
Ghana).
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5. Statement of the Problem
Education in Emergency and the Global Refugee
Crisis
1. 43.7 Million Forced Migrants
2. 25.2 million receive UNHCR protection
3. 7.2 million refugees are in protracted situation
4. 10.4 million refugees are warehoused in camps.
5. 12 million people are stateless.
6. 49 LDC host four-fifth of the global refugee population
The Case of Liberian Refugees in Ghana
1. Refugee influx in 1990 led to the establishment of the Buduburam
Refugee Settlement.
2. 1990-2005 the camp hosted 38,000 Liberian refugees
3. Current population 11,000
✴(protracted refugee situations)
4. In 2005 UNHCR terminated all humanitarian assistance to the
refugee population at the Buduburam Refugee Settlement.
✴Protracted refugee situations describe refugees living in camps or settlements for more than 5 years without access to education, health care, proper sanitation
facilities, etc...(UNHCR 2009 Global Trends in Refugees, Displacement and IDPs).
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6. Monday, December 12, 11

7. Source: US Department of State
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8. Guiding Principles and Values of EIE
1 Education is a basic human right of all people affected by crisis and
instability
2 Education protects during crises and lays a sustainable foundation for
recovery, peace and development
3 Education should be included in all humanitarian responses
4 Education policy and services must be actively sustained and coordinated
across the humanitarian – development continuum before, during and in
recovery from crises
5 Crises which destabilize education can be approached not only as urgent
situations of immediate need but also as opportunities for positive change.
Source: INEE
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9. Education in Emergency at Buduburam
1991-2005: UNHCR established the
Buduburam Refugee Community School
System
Target:
Providing free primary and
secondary education to Liberian
refugees in an effort to produce a
new generation of Liberians who
upon leaving the camp can
contribute meaningfully to the
socioeconomic development of their
communities.
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10. SHIFT IN EDUCATIONAL GOALS
2005-2011: UNHCR’s terminated ALL
humanitarian aid to refugees led to:
1. Creation of schools by CBOs
2. Vocational Institutions by NGOs
Target:
Workforce development through
vocational skills training, gender
empowerment and social justice.
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11. State Actors
Ghana Eduction Service (GES)
1. Professional Development for Teachers
2. Education for Empowerment (EfE)
Out of school - children gets a second chance of
education in the EfE Program.
3. Administering the West African Examination
Council (WAEC)
★ Junior and Senior Secondary levels
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12. Non-State Actors
UNHCR 1990-2005
★ Construction of School Buildings
★Funds Primary and Secondary Education
★ Provides Educational Materials
★ Provides minimum professional development activities.
Partner Organizations
★ Accra Teachers Training College
★ Winneba University College of Education
★ Christian Council of Ghana (CCG)
★ Point Hope (PH)
★ United National Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
★ Unite For Sight
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13. UNHCR 2011 Education Facts of Ghana
Ghana
Total people of concern: 14,577 refugees
and asylum seekers
Main origin of refugees: Liberia, Togo,
Sudan, Sierra Leone
Implementing partners: National Media
Commission, Ghana Education Service,
Ghana Health Service and Ghana Police
Service
Education program setting:
Urban (Accra) and camps
Overall education needs budget 2012:
Refugees and asylum seekers in
urban areas: USD 387,860
Refugees in rural areas: USD 471,142
Source: UNHCR Education 2011: Ghana
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14. implementing partners
implementing partners
0% 40%
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
%o
%
Primar
Primar
Primar
% of childr
% of c
(8) 40% Male
Primary
Primary
Primary
Economic difficulties ofof refugee parents area areason for the
Economic difficulties refugee parents are
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
reason for the 20% (6) (8)
(3) (6) 20%
20%
high drop out
high drop out (3) 0%
0%
Primary
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
0%
2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010
2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010
Situationrefugeeeducation in camps
of Refugee Education in Camp Settings
Situation of refugee education in camps
Situation of
2008 2009 2010
Enrolment of refugee youth in training Challenges Objectives
Enrolment of refugee youth in training
100% Enrolment rate in in primary and secondary
Enrolment rate primary and secondary Enrolment of children with specific needs
Enrolment of children with specific Enrolment of refugee youth in training
100%
education
education
80%
High dropout rate, especially in secondary school numbers in parentheses Presence of a local education refugee owned schools to meet
• Number ofof parentheses
Number
Absolute numbers in
Absolute
Upgrade the
Presence of•a local education in primary education
in primary education
80% 100%
100%
100% Most of the schools78% 79%privately owned and students per
• are79% 100%
100% students per
are costly national standards by transferring responsibility of
committee with implementing
committee with implementing
% of youth
87%87%
% of children
% of children
78%
% of youth
78%78% (4)
(4)
60% 80%80% 80%
60%
60% • 80%
More than 3,000 childrenFemale private schools teacher receive
in
Female
Female
Female
80%
80% (6)
(6)
teacher
do not partner/government participation these schools to the Ghanaian
(3)
(3)
partner/government participation
80%
supervision of
% of youth
60%
% of children
% of children
Male 2008 13 Yes 80%
% Female education service
60%
40% 40%
40%
40%
quality education Male
MaleMale 2008
60%
60% 13 Yes
Female
Female
20%20%
2009 18 No
•Male Assure access of refugee children to Male
% Male No 2
universal
20% 20%0% •
0% Most teachers in30%30% private schools are not18
7% 7% the 2009
40%
40% professional 40%
Primary
Primary
Primary
4% 4% 4% 4% Yesprimary education, secondary30% and tertiary
teachers and have inadequate teaching and (3) 1616 materials
2010
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
2
Primary
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
1% 1% (8)
Yes
0% 0%
2010 learning
20%
20% (3)
(6)
(6)
(8)
20%
7% 4%
4% 1%
2
20082008due to limited funding
20092009 2010 2010 0%
0% education
0%
2008
2008 2009
2009 2010
2010 2008
2008 2009
2009 2010
2010 2008 2009 2010
• Schools in the settlements do not meet the Ghanaian • Enhance job opportunities of refugees
education service standards
Teacher gender parity
Teacher gender parity
•Enrolment refugee youth in training afford secondary Percentage of ofand teachers
Very few refugees can
Enrolment of of refugee youth in training educationrefugee not
Percentage refugee teachers Overall education needs budget 2012:
Teacher gender parity
USD 859 000
100%100%
100%
100%
many who qualify for tertiary education 7% able to afford the
100%
100%
are 100%
7% 8% 100
80% 80%
80%
fees 8%
Number of 38% 38% 46% of a local education
Number of 38% Presence of a local education
Presence
38% 46%
80% 80%80% students 80%
64% 64%64% 64%61% 61% do not speak English, the per language of with implementing
committee with implementing 80
73% 73%Refugee children
• 76% 76% students per committee
% of youth
61%
% of teachers
of teachers
% of teachers
% of teachers
%% of youth
64% 64%
% of teachers
% of teachers
60% 80% 73% 76%
teacher UNHCR
60%
60% 60% 80%
instruction in Ghana Male teachers
Female
Female
Male teachers 60%60% teacher partner/government participation 60%
partner/government participation
Local teachers approved Male teachers 60
40% Male
Male
Female teachers
Female teachers
2008 93% 13 91%
2008 93% 13
91%
Yes teachers
Local
Yes teachers 50%
budget Female teachers
40% Refugee teachers
Refugee
40% 40%•
20%
Lack of funding for post secondary 2009 tertiary education
30%
and
40%
200940% 18
18 No
No
40%
50% 40
20% 7%36% 30% 62%
62% 62%
62% 54% 39%
7% 4% 36%39% 39%
4% 1% 54% 36%
20% 20% 4% 1%
36% 36% 4% 2010 16 Yes
Yes
36%
0% 27% 27% 2010
20%20% 16 20%
27% 24%
20
0% 24% 24%
2008 2009 2010 0
2008 2009 2010 0% 0% 0%
0% 0%
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
2006 2006
2007 2007
2008200820092009
20102010 2006 2007
2006 2007 2008
2008 2009
2009 2010
2010
Source: UNHCR Ghana: Education Statistics 2011
Teacher gender parity
Percentage of refugee teachers
Teacher gender parity
Percentage of refugee teachers
100%
100% 100% 7%
100% 7% 8%
80% 8% 38% 38% 46%
80% 80% 38% 38% 46%
64% 61%
64% 80%
% of teachers
% of teachers
73% 76%
64% 61%
64%
% of teachers
% of teachers
60% 73% 76%
Male teachers 60%
60% Local teachers
Male teachers 60% 93%
Female teachers 91% Local teachers
40% 93% Refugee teachers
Female teachers 40% 91%
40% Refugee teachers
40%
36% 39% 62% 62% 54%
36%
20% 36% 39% 20% 62% 62% 54%
27% 36%
20% 24% 20%
27% 24%
0% 0%
0% 2006
2006
2007
2007
2008
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
0% 2006
2006
2007
2007
2008
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
2
22
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15. Descriptive Statistics from Field Research
!
!
!
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16. Women Empowerment Vocational Skills Training
SKILLS
“UNIDO is one of the organizations on the Baking, Block Laying/Masonry, Beauty Care,
Dressmaking, Batik Tie & Dye, ICT Computer
camp that is actively assisting refugee women Hardware, Soap Science, Carpentry& Joinery,
groups with skills development and upon Draughtsmanship and Electrical.
completion of the six month intensive training,
UNIDO provides each woman with a start-up
447 Women at Budumburam benefits from
package of materials in the skills they learned UNIDO, UNHCR and FAO Programme in
allowing them to start their own micro- Ghana
business as well as put to practice what they
have learned” http://africabusiness.com/2011/06/20/447-
(An interview response from a staff of a community- women-at-budumburam-benefits-from-unido-
unhcr-and-fao-programme-in-ghana/
based organization).
Underlying Policy Outcomes: develop a skill-based workforce of women for local integration and
encourage voluntary repatriation
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17. Narrative Discussions Between Qua/Quan Results
Survey Responses
Lack of Humanitarian Aid !
✴ Education
“We pay for our children school fees, hospital care, food, etc. The
UNHCR’s budget has funding appropriated for each of these services
and yet we don’t receive them”
(A focus group response from a female Liberian refugee).
“Some refugees are not in school and they are seriously eager to go to
school”
(An interview response from a member of the Refugee Settlement Management
Committee).
“Most of these teens are from families who cannot cater to them
because of the socioeconomic conditions of the camp. We also have !
scholarship scheme to assist pay the school fees for these teens”
(An interview response from a staff of a CBO).
“The United Nations as well as the Ghanaian Government needs to
specify why have refugees been kept on this camp for
so long without access to basic services such as education, healthcare,
proper sanitation, housing, etc”
(An interview response from a staff of an INGO).
So now,
if you don’t have money to pay your transportation to and from the
camp to Accra you wouldn’t be able to access UNHCR’s services”
(Staff interview response from the Ghana Refugee Board).
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18. What Next?
✴ Keep exploring the current
information on Education in
Emergency at the refugee
settlement.
✴ Policy recommendations for
education that will promote
human security, foster a durable
solution and discourage
protracted displacement.
Monday, December 12, 11

19. Reference
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COLNOE, Amos G. 2007. "Transition from Emergency Assistance to Self-Reliance Liberian Refugees in GOMOA-
BUDUBURAM, GHANA." Master Thesis, Norwegian University of Life Science, Norway.
Dick, Shelly. 2002a. "Liberians In Ghana: Living Without Humanitarian Assistance." UNHCR Evaluation and Policy Analysis
Unit no. 57.
Dick, Shelly. 2002b. "Responding to Protracted Refugee Situations: A Case Study of Liberian Refugees in Ghana." UNHCR
Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit.
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Buduburam." USCRI.
Ghana, Government of. 1992. "Refugee Law, 1992." Refugee Law of Ghana of 1992.
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