Chapter 3 - Annex 3: Educational Kits (Edukits)

The development of Educational Kits (Edukits) was initiated by UNESCO and UNICEF in Rwanda and Somalia, as a means to help children of these countries access or pursue their primary education. ‘School in a box’ was first viewed as a basic rapid response that allowed the delivery of essential learning and teaching materials to places where educational services had been disrupted due to sudden severe situations such as war, civil strife or natural disaster. One of the lessons from this early experience was the local specificity of even quite basic supplies, so that initial kits should contain the absolute basic materials that will enable the resumption of learning. These can then be supplemented and adapted to suit the local curriculum and conditions.

UNICEF Education Section, EMOPS and Supply Division are now finalising the latest revision for two rapid response kits (education, recreation) and working on the development of a kit for early childhood care. The content of edukits is seen as being dynamic, responding to a specific environment and changing needs, and using materials that have been shown to work well in field situations. Items such as wall charts with specific messages may be included, providing for instant information on cholera in areas where this is a health risk, or on mines awareness where conflict has resulted in the placement of landmines. The overall concept is described in more detail below.

The standardised Education Kits and Recreation Kits were developed to ensure quick delivery of basic learning materials in a rapid response situation, and should be regarded as a first response only. In consultation with the local community these kits should be supplemented with locally relevant materials as soon as possible.

In longer term situations of instability locally developed kits often replace the rapid response kits. These kits should, wherever possible, be locally procured, and should avoid items, which cannot be replaced with locally obtainable materials.

Kits for primary education. The education kit consists of two sets of basic materials for classes of approximately 80 students (assuming double sessions of 40) and the teacher/facilitator. The ‘consumables’ are for the learner to use. They include such items as slates, chalks, exercise books, number charts, pencils, and erasers.

Currently the contents of the standard Education Kit are as follows:

The second set is the responsibility of the teacher/facilitator and/or the community, and constitutes the ‘classroom-based’ materials. It includes chalk, atlas, blackboard, geometric instruments, calendar, scissors, etc. Textbooks, charts, maps and other educational materials may vary from country to country according to the national curriculum and specific situation and needs. Each kit also contains simple guidelines for care and use of the kits.

Recreation kits. These kits have been developed to facilitate recreation activities among children affected by crisis. Children often often make their own toys and equipment for games, and these supplies should be used to supplement rather than replace the indigenous materials. The kit is designed for use by girls as well as boys. The current contents of the standard rapid response recreation kit are as follows:

Teacher training and curriculum development workshops. A workshop resource kit is being designed and developed. It will address such topics as identifying appropriate curricula, agreeing on teacher and curriculum development strategies, and establishing mechanisms to produce or acquire appropriate curriculum and teacher support materials. It will draw on existing materials that have been developed for emergency situations to the extent possible.

Strengthening local capacity and participation. Supplies should take into account what is available locally, what can be made or assembled locally, and aim to support locally based supplies and materials in the long run. They are designed to be both educationally sound and to foster a sense of community through student/family ‘ownership’ of selected items. Students, families and community members involved in the programme should be held responsible for taking care of the consumables and ensuring that they are utilized for their intended purposes. This should help bring families and communities into partnership in the education process, thus serving to rebuild community relationships.