Standards Put to the Test Implementing the INEE Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic Crisis, and Early Reconstruction

Conflicts and natural disasters take a heavy toll on education systems and deny generations the knowledge and opportunities that an education can provide. Of the 115 million primary-aged children not in school, one in three live in conflict-affected and fragile states. Millions more have no access to schooling because they live in areas affected by natural disasters.

This paper presents the case for education as an essential humanitarian activity, and the INEE Minimum Standards as a tool for quality and accountability within those interventions. It sets out the preliminary implementation experience of the Minimum Standards, with a focus on pilot research in Uganda and Darfur; examines the lessons learned from having a Minimum Standards focal point in Pakistan; and presents key lessons learned to guide the provision of education in emergencies.