What happens when schools are forced to move by conflict?

“We experienced a terrible event. Armed men stormed our village and set fire to our school. They destroyed all the classrooms and burned homes. We had to flee with our students to find a safer place,” explains Jean-Marie, headmaster of Dhepa Primary School.

“We are currently being hosted at the Umoja Institute, along with other displaced people. We hold classes in the morning until 12:20 in the afternoon, and then the Umoja Institute takes over until the evening.”

In these extreme conditions, the school is forced to become mobile. Despite the circumstances, students continue achieving remarkable pass rates in the primary school national exams each year, sometimes scoring 90 to 100 per cent.

Rebuilding for the future

Aware of the challenges faced by displaced children and their teachers, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and its partners in the Elimu Kwanza project, including the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), as well as local partners AJEDEC and FECONDE, are working to support these vulnerable schools.