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EDUCATION SECTOR RESPONSE

Samoa, September/October 2009

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Organisations Involved

Ministry of Education, Science and Culture; 

ADB; Caritas; JICA; NZAID; Salvation Army;  

Save the Children; TearFund; UNESCO; 

UNICEF; World Vision

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Impact on Education Sector

Approximately 1000 primary and secondary students no longer had access 

to schools and another 400 students were in schools not damaged but 
whose schools were closed due to recovery efforts

4 primary schools and 2 secondary schools were damaged/destroyed by 

tsunami

42 teachers were affected in these schools

Damage to teaching/learning materials- school furniture; textbooks

Destruction of 9 ECE Centres- 310 children between 3 and 5 in these 

centres (20 deceased from these centres)

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RESPONSE: 2 Weeks Post Disaster

Within 1 Week

TOR for Education Cluster Coordinator drafted and recruitment 
undertaken (SC/UNICEF)
Cluster Coordinator introduced CC mechanism to MESC
Education Cluster Coordination meetings initiated
Distribution of Recreation and Early Childhood Kits

Within 2 Weeks

Rapid Assessment undertaken by MESC
8/10 Week Education in Emergency Response Matrix (INEE) drafted
Temporary school tents installed: NDMO; Australia Government
Bottled water distribution
IEC materials (Key messages: Safe Drinking Water; Hand Washing; 
Food Preparation) 
ECE assessment undertaken by Council of Early Childhood Education 
for Samoa (NCEES)

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RESPONSE: 3 Weeks and Beyond

Provision of portable latrines for schools

Provision of 15 child friendly school tents

Provision of school furniture and first aid kits

Coordination of fundraising for ECE Centres

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Lessons Learned

Coordination

Considerable time/energy expended in introducing and advocating 
on cluster modality & processes
Importance of cluster coordination with/within SWaP mechanism
Value of inter-cluster meetings on cross-sectoral issues for better 
integration of response (ie WASH in Schools)
Lack of clarity on interface with Early Recovery Cluster
Planning of monitoring & evaluation as of outset 

Assessment

Lack of qualitative indicators as well as sex disaggregated data
within Rapid Assessment

Supplies

Supply specifications difficult to procure within the Pacific region 
and therefore need pre-positioning (ie smaller child friendly tent 
sizes)
End-user monitoring of distribution of supplies a challenge

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Initial Recommendations

Development of national Education in Emergency Plans and 
capacity development of MoE staff in its implementation, 
monitoring and evaluation.
Agreed Terms of Reference of Education Cluster arrangement 
at national level and accountabilities within this.
Comprehensive rapid needs assessment tool available and 
familiar to MoE staff at decentralised levels.
Inclusion of Early Childhood Education within TOR for 
Education Cluster remit
Assessment of availability of emergency education supplies 
(and elaboration of spec’s for these)- temporary learning 
centres; teaching/learning materials; IEC materials