IRC certification experience in Pakistan

Katayon Qahir, IRC Pakistan

and Jackie Kirk, IRC

Pakistan• Refugee education

programming since 1985

• Collaboration with AfghanConsulate in Peshawar

• Schools registered, MoE Afghanistan curriculum & exams (Dari & Pashto)

• IRC cross-border: reintegration work in Kabul BUT for many, return is unlikely

• Linkages to Pakistani system to expand options ??

Certification Process • Process began 2002 as repatriation began

• MoE guidelines and forms distributed to schools

• Completed & submitted to MoE, through Afghan Consulate for school registration.

• IRC schools first to be registered - but other NGOs doing similar.

• 2 week registration process in NWFP; took longer in Balochistan (UNHCR support for coordination with Consulate in Quetta)

The school registration process has contributed to a durable solution for Afghans who made the decision to repatriate. Students coming from registered schools had school records that were endorsed and recognized. This meant that the students who intended to repatriate and continue their education could get admitted in the same classes easily. This would have been difficult otherwise.

The long term impact of IRC’s ability to certify teacher training and student learning is that students and teachers are recognized in Afghanistan and develop its human resource potential. Teachers can be employed and students can be enrolled which is crucial to the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

• IRC supported schools follow Afghan MoE guidelines and policies

• Parents prefer to send their children to IRC/FEP supported MoE registered schools because they can repatriate with their certificates.

• IRC schools’ students have been absorbed in the right level of education upon repatriation

• IRC teacher training materials adopted by the Afghan MoE and incorporated in the approved teacher training materials in Afghanistan.