3.1 Utilizing available facilities, space, and environment for learning Physical access to school is a major constraint against educational participation in emergency situations, often because of the destruction of school facilities. The common perception is that learning cannot take place without classrooms and school buildings (Boyden & Ryder, 1996). However, buildings are not an essential component for learning. Other locally available facilities, space, and environment can be effectively utilized for educational purposes.

What is a learning environment - desks? walls? blackboard? a few windows? For children, school is where learning takes place. Children learn best through their interactions with the teachers, parents, their peers, and the world around them. Since interaction is one of the most important elements of learning, education programs can be started with very few facilities and resources. The space, the objects in the space, the organization of time, and human interactions are all parts of the learning environment. If the school buildings have been destroyed, learning can take place at home, in a shelter, or outdoors. In fact, many refugee schools start in the open in the shade of a tree. When selecting a school site, the following locally available facilities, space and environment can be considered:

• parts of the school that have not been destroyed and can be used without any danger;
• buildings that can be made available by the community such as empty rooms in a health center and parts of religious property;
• homes/houses of the community members;
• temporary shelters, such as grass thatched shelters used in many parts of Africa and shelters made of mats used in BRAC schools in Bangladesh;
• quiet and safe places outside, such as a playground or clearing.

CASE-STUDY: Zimbabwe: Many of the schools run by the Zimbabwean Liberation movements in the 1970s were held under trees, or in camouflaged huts built from sticks and foliage. A total of 30,000 children were enrolled in 11 schools in Mozambique and Zambia.

Safety and Health The most basic aspect of the learning environment is its safety. When setting up a school in an emergency situation, it is important to check possible school sites for landmines and to ensure that children are not at risk when traveling to and from school sites. Whenever possible, alternative routes to and from school and a means of rapid exit need to be identified and taught to children (Boyden & Ryder, 1996, p. 26). When parents are confident about the safety of their children, they are more likely to have their children enrolled in schools.

The learning environment should be clean, airy, shady, and protected against the sun, strong winds, rain, dust, and noise. Therefore, it should be moved away from stagnant water to avoid health problems, the main roads because of dust and noise, and distribution points because of distraction (UNESCO/UNHCR, 1988). It is desirable that the school environment has good sanitation and a clean water supply to avoid potential health hazard. With an external environment that is chaotic and dangerous, clean and secluded school sites can create a new frame of reference for children through which they will experience a sense of order, safety, and peace.

Space arrangement Classroom furniture is desirable but not essential, particularly for a school which has just started. Children should have enough space to move around and something to write on. Usually movable tables and chairs are preferable to the traditional fixed desks and attached benches, just because it is possible to move more easily from whole class teaching to group work, whereas fixed furniture may make such flexibility more difficult. A simple blackboard is usually essential. In situations where this is not readily available, it can often be made by painting a mud wall or a large piece of plywood black or dark green. Experimenting with traditional paints often provides a ready solution. A simple slate and piece of chalk may be all that is needed for a pupil to write on.

3.2 Accessing non-governmental organizations Non-governmental organizations are groups of people who work together to achieve certain goals and objectives, often in the interest of a community. These organizations can be local, regional, national or international. They are, by definition, not part of the government, although some of these organizations may receive monetary support from their local or national government. Their goals may include educating children, training teachers, or teaching people how to vote in elections. Their objectives may be to build a school, to hold training sessions for teachers, or to monitor elections as they occur.

In order to achieve their goals, these non?governmental organizations (NGOs) raise money and use it effectively. If a teacher in a school needs a certain type of supply or needs help in building a sheltered area to hold classes, he or she may be able to contact a NGO and ask for their assistance. Some NGOs may be able to help financially, while others may help by mobilizing people to do physical labor.

Teachers should ask local leaders which NGOs are operating locally. You can contact UNICEF office nearest you to obtain a list of local and international NGOs. Usually, NGOs know of each other and are in contact, so once one organization is contacted, people there might be able to suggest other organizations in the area. Often, NGOs do not know the true needs of communities, and they appreciate letters of request from local teachers in order to direct their efforts and to help in a meaningful way. Letters can be brief. They should include:

• an introduction (who are you and what is your need)
• how do you plan to meet your need?
• why do you need assistance from the NGO?
• how exactly would you like them to help?
• if they cannot help, ask them to suggest other organizations that might help
• thank them for their time in considering your request.

On the following page is a sample letter from a teacher to an international organization.

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS