In the war-torn community of Marantao, Lanao del Sur, UNLAD and Save the Children Philippines have been working together over the last six months to build and launch the “Safe Schools for the Future” program.
The program is a suite of learning and development interventions for children aged 0 to 17 years old implemented in partnership with communities, schools, government, NGOs, academe and the private sector, and includes innovative solutions so children will have access to and catch up on learning:
Home-based learning for parents and children aged 0-12 years old
Catch-up program for children aged 3-5 years not enrolled in any preschool program ;
An inclusive education program for children with disabilities aged 3-12 years old.
Safe Schools for the Future aims to provide access to an inclusive, safe and agile learning set-up and support for children in every day contexts, during emergencies and protracted crisis; ultimately developing and strengthening the resilience of affected learners, teachers, parents and the whole community through psychosocial support and community participation.
In support of this effort, the following activities are on-going:
Workshops attended and participated by representatives from the community’s schools, parents, local government, children and youth groups. The project's co-creation process is informed by the participants reflecting and sharing their experiences and realities, their different perspectives, ideals, and aspirations for their community - all important for prioritizing the needs, gaps, and challenges, in the community.
Remote learning assessment sessions
Socio-emotional and alternative learning sessions
Provisioning of digital equipment for monitoring and systematically documenting the results of these interventions on children’s learning.
We look forward to reviewing and understanding the documented results and in sustaining appropriate learning in these war-torn communities, driven by the aspiration of making the concept of “Safe Schools for the Future” come alive and real.