Nearly 25,000 displaced children in Zimbabwe are expected to have a
safer, healthier and more conducive school environment through a
new programme aimed at improving educational services for mobile
and vulnerable children.

The programme, targeting 40 marginalized and neglected schools
in need of emergency assistance in the capital Harare and in the
districts of Hwange, Makoni, Mutare and Chpinge, aims to tackle
some of the most pressing issues faced by displaced children in the
country.

The state of the national education system, characterized by
resignations, absenteeism and low morale among teachers,
significant numbers of school drop out and violence against
children is considerably worse among mobile and vulnerable
populations.

A rapid assessment of six urban schools by Save the Children UK
in 2008 showed a nearly 55 per cent drop in school enrolment, a
nearly 70 per cent drop in teacher presence, a consistent pattern
of school-based violence and an alarming degradation in school
infrastructure including water and sanitation facilities that was
having a serious impact on the education and health of the
children.

The programme, to be carried out jointly between IOM, Save the
Children UK and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) will work
to enhance the physical, protective and social environment at
school by refurbishing and re-equipping school facilities, and
through the provision of support and training in key life skills
such as dealing with the risk of HIV and AIDS and sexual and
gender-based violence.

Teachers will be supported in their work through training on a
range of issues including protection of children in emergency
situations and prevention of family separation.

IOM, which has received nearly USD 740,000 from the UN's Central
Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will focus on liaising with mobile
and vulnerable communities and the emergency refurbishment of the
schools. The IRC and Save the Children will tackle water and
sanitation and child-focused activities respectively.

The programme builds on a joint IOM and multi-partner initiative
that helped 19,000 displaced children's access to education through
the provision of emergency education assistance to 33 primary
schools and early childhood development centres in six
provinces.

Although it is unclear how many vulnerable children are unable
to attend school in Zimbabwe, UNICEF figures reveal that there are
more than 850,000 orphans and vulnerable children attending primary
and secondary schools in Zimbabwe in 2009.

For further information, please contact:

Judith Chinamaringa

IOM Zimbabwe

Tel: +263 4 33 50 48

E-mail: "mailto:JChinamaringa@iom.int">JChinamaringa@iom.int