Iraq Education Cluster - Operational Guidance Note: the use of schools, educational facilities and temporary learning centres as shelter [EN/AR/KU]

Ideally school buildings and education facilities should not be used as shelter by families who have been displaced due to conflict. Using school buildings as shelter denies displaced and host community children access to safe learning environments. However, in a case of mass displacement where no other shelter options are available and schools are used as a last resort, the following measures should be taken to minimize the negative impact on schools:

General planning:

• The authorities should identify and direct displaced people to alternative collective centres or emergency camps, to ensure that schools are only used as the very last option.
• Education Cluster should be consulted in advance on which schools will be considered for shelter.
• If schools are selected to host displaced people, the Directorates of Education (DoE) and School headmasters, in collaboration with Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA), should predefine one or more locations where classes can be held to avoid the disruption of learning and avoid coexistence of displaced and learners.
• If schools are selected to host displaced people, guarantees must be in place that the school will be in a reasonable state when returned.
• The authorities need to agree and commit budget for rehabilitation/repair of schools after the departure of the displaced. Ideally, the disadvantages arising from the use of the school as a shelter should be offset by tangible benefits for the school community (improving learning facilities, building additional school WASH structures, etc.).

When a school is designated as a shelter by the authorities:

• The DoE, headmaster and PTA should be involved in the development of guidelines on the use of each school as a shelter, and visit the schools frequently to ensure adherence.
• Before displaced people move into a school, the DoE or the headmaster should have the time to remove or store furniture, learning materials, school files and equipment to a locked room.
• Wherever possible, one classroom in the school should remain empty and available for teaching and learning activities.
• Instructions on the protection of school buildings and educational materials should be given to displaced communities, authorities and humanitarian actors, verbally and printed. “The school protects us, we protect the school.”
• All facilities (classrooms, toilets, etc.) used by the displaced community should be cleaned daily.
• When a school is selected as shelter, a deadline for the return to its original function should be established from the beginning, communicated to all, and respected, in order to avoid instances where families remain in the school long after their original displacement occurred. No forcible eviction of schools should happen.
• Shelter Cluster and CCCM Cluster to work with authorities on finding alternative accommodation options so that the schools can be vacated as soon as possible.

When the coexistence of displaced and students is inevitable:

• School areas used by displaced people should be separated from areas used by learners.
• If possible, the school should have a separate gate/door for the displaced and for the learners.
• The need for additional WASH facilities needs to be evaluated by WASH partners.
• If possible, there should be separate WASH facilities for the learners and for the displaced.
• If separation is not possible, it is necessary to set time slots for the use of water points in order to avoid any conflict between the learners and displaced.