Education in Emergencies Specialist (ERT), Yangon, Myanmar, Requisition # 540666

BACKGROUND [taken from Sitrep no.2]

Since 1 February 2021, the civil disobedience movement (CDM) and various forms of anti-takeover demonstrations continue nationwide despite violent crackdowns by the Myanmar military. Severe disruptions are affecting various services, including within the health care sector, banking sector, and transportation sector. Raids of civilian properties, as well as arbitrary arrests, taking place during both the day and the night, have been reported across the country.

At least 53 children (46 boys and 7 girls) have been killed since the military takeover. At least 28 attacks against hospitals and health personnel and seven attacks against schools and school personnel have been reported, along with 122 incidents of military use of education facilities (82) and hospitals (40).

Armed clashes between the Myanmar Military and different Ethnic Armed Groups intensified in Kachin, northern Shan, and Kayin States. Artillery shelling and indiscriminate airstrikes by armed forces in Kayin State caused more than 20,000 civilians to flee and hide in forest areas along the Myanmar-Thailand border. People from various locations across the country continue to seek safety in the southeast corridor of Myanmar. In Rakhine, the security situation remains tense, with movement of troops observed in some locations. The Myanmar Military imposed a 10pm curfew in at least ten IDP camps in Sittwe, and a 9pm curfew in two others (Source: UNHCR).

The National Vaccine Deployment Plan (NVDP) for the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults over 18 years of age was developed prior to the military takeover. Front line health workers received first vaccine doses in January 2021. However, following the coup, the vaccine is being made available in several locations across the country to those who wish to take the vaccine, but without proper registration and or prioritization by age or associated risk factors. The vaccination is currently being managed by the de facto authorities without any involvement of partners to support registration, communication, or monitoring.

Even before 1 February 2021, nearly one million people in five states, including 336,000 IDPs, were in need of humanitarian assistance. Fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces and Arakan Army in 2020 had displaced 81,245 people to 185 informal settlements in Rakhine and 236 in Chin, adding to the needs of 130,000 people already displaced since 2012 and in deteriorating and overcrowded camps. UNICEF’s appeal aligns with the sectoral needs of the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan in five states: Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan and Kayin.

Education response

UNICEF and partners have supported learning continuity for 24,465 children in areas of Myanmar experiencing protracted conflict. Children in these areas have historically been deprived of education opportunities. An additional 2,000 school-aged children in northern Rakhine, who had been out of school prior to the takeover and COVID, continue to receive remedial education to provide them with a better chance of being reintegrated into formal education.

Seeking to expand coverage to reach more children, UNICEF is accelerating discussions with existing EiE partner organisations, not only to increase the number of beneficiaries reached in existing locations but also to expand geographical coverage. UNICEF is also reaching out to other NGOs to provide education to children during the ongoing crisis. UNICEF continues to co-lead the EiE initiative, and is working to develop a standardised approach to consulting with communities to better understand their expectations for their children’s education in the current circumstances, and making relevant education materials available to meet children’s interim learning needs and ensure continuity of learning.

UNICEF continues to actively participate in discussions within the education sector, together with key donors and development partners. Critical issues of focus include continuing to support home-based learning, use of global funds for education, reopening of schools and education centres, and sector assessment.

Overall objective: In support of UNICEF Myanmar Education section, the purpose of this assignment is to provide quality oversight and technical assistance that will ensure the continuation of a well-coordinated, strategic, and effective education in emergency response.

PURPOSE

(1) Support development of the UNICEF education response strategy in the context of highly politically and socially sensitive and complex operating environment, where the direct engagement with the government is no longer possible. Specifically:

• • Contribute UNICEF inputs into the development of the EU action document for education in Myanmar
  • In consultation with other UNICEF sectors as well as CSO partners, draft UNICEF proposal for a multi-year, multi-donor funding education response in Myanmar

(2) Support development and operationalisation of the home-based/supplementary learning package as part of the continuity of learning efforts to address the country’s learning crisis.

(3) Contribute to an education needs overview in the crisis. This may include travel to the affected areas in the country, support education capacity building of UNICEF field offices and CSO partners.

(4) Support education in emergencies (EiE) sector coordination and UNICEF co-leadership of the EiE sector, including engagement in advocacy for activation of the Education Cluster and support to the sub-national EiE planning.