USAID Education Emergency Response
Supporting Agency: USAIDBackground
USAID Education Emergency Response, a 3-year, $5.1 million project, is a vital component of USAID/Nepal’s reconstruction portfolio. This project aims to support emergency education response, recovery efforts, and community resilience in Jajarkot and Rukum West. It is specifically designed to assist the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MOEST) in addressing needs identified in the Post-Disaster Learning Continuity-Damage and Needs Assessment.
Furthermore, the project will enhance local capacity and support governments in disseminating key information, safeguarding schools, and creating a conducive learning environment. By doing so, the project will ensure the continuity of quality education for children during emergencies and other crises.
USAID Education Emergency Response aligns closely with the MOEST Comprehensive School Safety (CSS) Master Plan (2017) and the global CSS framework, both of which aim to enhance disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and resilience within the education sector. The School Sector Development Plan (2016/17–2022/23) and the SESP, (2022/23–2031/32) emphasize building resilience and preparing schools and communities to address hazards and climate change risks. These plans ensure continuous education, promote safe learning environments, and strengthen adaptive capacities during disasters.
USAID Education Emergency Responsewill leverage partnerships with local organizations, government bodies at all levels, NGOs, civil society organizations, and the Education Clusters to ensure a strategic and coherent response. This approach aims to restore education services in the most affected districts and communities. The National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET) will implement the project in close collaboration with government and education sector partners.
Goal:
Increased preparedness and improved capacity for emergency education response, recovery and community resilience in Western Nepal (Jajarkot and Rukum West).
Objectives:
To support restoration and recovery of the education system in earthquake affected areas of Jajarkot and Rukum West and contribute towards building resilience of the education system. The following specific objectives will be achieved working in close collaboration with all levels of government, and education sector partners:
- Provide technical assistance to meet immediate recovery needs and build community resilience.
- Construct 500 accessible transitional learning centers (Type-2 TLCs), including toilets and hand-washing facilities in earthquake affected areas where they are needed.
- Distribute essential supplies for students to assist them with returning to school and continuing their education.
Project Activities
Technical Assistance to Meet Immediate Needs and Build Resilience
Providing socio-technical support to a broad range of education stakeholders across federal, provincial, and local levels is the main task of this intervention. The primary focus will be on local intervention although it targets to maintain strong connections at the federal and provincial levels. This component aims to build local capacity, enabling communities to maintain educational services even after major crises. This aspect is essential for strengthening a resilient education system. The following are the key activities proposed under this component:
- Identification of immediate needs for education response and recovery
- Training to Local Education Units, Municipal Engineers, SMCs, and local communities
- Support School Management Committees to develop School Improvement Plans
- Technical support to schools on preparation of Disaster Preparedness Plans
- Orientation to LEUs, SMCs and Teachers on MOEST’s Plans and Policies
- Support on preparation of basic layout (Basic Master Plan)
- Conduct on the job training to local youths
- Training in preventative and proper maintenance
Component 2: Construction of 500 Type-2 Transitional Learning Centers, Toilets, and Hand-Washing stations
The program plans to build 500 accessible Type-2 TLCs, each including two-room toilets and a handwashing station. Locally sourced materials like wood and bamboo will be used in construction, along with corrugated galvanized iron sheets for roofing. The WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities will include accessible features, such as ramps and two-room toilets with separate entries, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment within the TLCs. The following are the key activities proposed under this component:
- Selection of schools
- Design and standards
- Engagement of local governments and SMCs
- Construction of Type-2 TLCs, two-room toilet with hand washing station
- Hand over and defect liability
Component 3: Distribution of Essential Supplies
The activity will provide to all TLCs a set of teaching and learning materials (e.g.: storybooks, letter and word charts, number charts, wall calendars, notebooks, pens, and other educational displays) approved and standardized by the Government of Nepal. The selection of materials will be tailored to the grade levels using the TLCs.
Project Output and Outcomes
- 500 accessible transitional learning centers (Type-2 TLCs) including toilets and hand-washing facilities constructed in earthquake affected areas,
- 250 school level DPRPs developed,
- 250 schools trained on preventive maintenance of TLCs,
- 250 orientations on CSSMP to teachers and SMC members,
- 250 multi azard orientations for parents, teachers and students,
- 250 earthquake and fire drills with safe evacuation route,
- 15 workshops/meetings at federal (MoEST, CEHRD), province, and local level,
- 15 province and local level education cluster workshops/meetings,
- 13 municipal level DPRPs for education sector developed,
- 10 training sessions on comprehensive school safety master plan (CSSMP) with enhanced capacity of teachers on CSS to develop the CSS workplan,
- 5 Workshops and meetings for education resilience, and
- On the job trainings, awareness campaigns & training of trainers (TOT) on comprehensive school safety master plan (CSSMP).
Geographical Coverage
The program will be implemented in seven local levels in Jajarkot District (Bheri, Chhedagad, Nalgad, Junichade, Kushe, Barekot, Shivalaya) and six local levels in Rukum-West District (Aathbiskot, Musikot, Chaurjahari, Banfikot, Triveni, Sanibheri).
Program Duration
Sep 2024 – Sep 2027; total 3 years
USAID’s Education in Emergency Response Program Brochure
USAID supports education system restoration in Jajarkot and Rukum West
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Nepal launched a $5.1 million project to support restoration and recovery of the education system in earthquake affected areas of Jajarkot and Rukum West.
The Government of Nepal and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) met to jointly launch USAID Education Emergency Response, a $5.1 million USD (NPR 689 million) project to support restoration and recovery of the education system in earthquake-affected Jajarkot and Rukum West districts.
Addressing the launching event, Joint Secretary Mr. Shiv Kumar Sapkota from Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) highlighted the urgency of learning facilities. Mr. Sapkota remarked, “the children of Jajarkot and Rukum West are in urgent need of learning facilities. The USAID Education Emergency Response Project aims to address this need by constructing transitional learning centers, alongside other supportive initiatives. I sincerely hope this thoughtfully designed project succeeds in achieving its objectives.”
To formalize this commitment a memorandum of agreement was signed by leaders from the Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD), the Central Level Program Implementation Unit (CLPIU-Education) and National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET) for the effective implementation of the USAID Education Emergency Response project.
USAID Mission Director Ms. Katie Donohoe noted the Jajarkot earthquake in 2023 caused significant damage to public infrastructure, destroying and damaging local schools. “The initial response coordinated by the Nepal Education Cluster addressed some of the immediate emergency needs directly following the disaster, but access to education remains limited as recovery proceeds.. USAID Education Emergency Response, a 3-year, $5.1 million program aims to support recovery efforts and strengthen community resilience in Jajarkot and Rukum West”, Ms. Donohoe stated.
The three-year project is a vital component of USAID/Nepal’s education portfolio. It is specifically designed to assist the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MOEST) in addressing needs identified in the Post Disaster Needs Assessment. The NSET will implement the USAID Education Emergency Response program under the guidance of the CEHRD and CLPIU-Education.
In his remarks, Mr. Chandrakanta Bhusal, Deputy Director General from CEHRD shared, “we are now in the third year of the School Education Sector Program (SESP). One of the key objectives of SESP is to enhance children's education by ensuring learning continuity during emergencies”. Mr. Bhusal suggested the USAID Education Emergency Response ensure alignment with SESP's core values while implementing its planned activities.
NSET President Dr. Amod Mani Dixit highlighted, “the launch of the USAID Education Emergency Response project today marks a crucial step in ensuring the learning continuity for children as part of the post-Jajarkot Earthquake recovery efforts,” and added “despite a year has passed since the disaster, students continue to face significant challenges due to the lack of proper learning facilities. Establishing transitional learning centers in the area has become an urgent necessity, as waiting for the construction of permanent buildings which may take years”.
Mr. Mahendra Parajuli, Deputy Director General from CEHRD expressed his hope that this project would facilitate the restoration and recovery of the education system in these earthquake-affected areas while contributing to the long-term resilience of the education sector.
The project will construct 500 accessible Transitional Learning Centers (TLC Type2), each including two-room toilets and a hand washing station, in 13 Municipalities of Jajarkot and Rukum West. In addition, a set of teaching and learning materials (e.g. storybooks, letter and word charts, number charts, wall calendars, notebooks, pens, and other educational displays) approved and standardized by the Government of Nepal will be presented to schools. The TLCs Type2 aim to serve as safe learning facilities for a 2-3 year period until permanent schools are constructed. These efforts align with the Annual Strategic Implementation Plan and the multi-year School Education Sector Plan of the Government of Nepal. For more information about USAID/Nepal, please visit: https://www.usaid.gov/nepal
For further information:
Ramesh Guragain, PhD; Chief of Party, USAID Education Emergency Response and Acting Executive Director, National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal (NSET), Lalitpur, Nepal Email: rguragain@nset.org.np
