INEE Minimum Standards Workshops in Japan

INEE, in partnership with Mercy Corps under the TOMODACHI NGO Leadership Program, and the Japan Platform (JFP) held a 5 day training of trainers (ToT) on the INEE Minimum Standards (MS) in Washington DC in March 2016. The overall aim of the workshop is to increase awareness of the importance of education in emergencies and advancing its efforts to increase the priority of education within the sector. The participants targeted with participation in the training included 15 Japanese participants along with 15 US and internationally based participants.

Continuing the trainings, Japan Platform and INEE organized a MS training in Tokyo for Japanese NGOs in 2016 and 2017. The organizers developed two-day basic training modules on INEE MS, which included 8 sessions covering the framework for education in emergencies, the framework of the INEE MS, how to use the INEE MS in assessment, and designing and implementing education projects in emergencies and protracted crisis.

Organizers developed a case study of a problematic project in a refugee camp along the border of two different countries. Participants were tasked with identifying problems with the education project and brainstorming possible solutions using the MS.

The training culminated with a role play exercise where each group is required to prepare and perform. After the role play, observing the participants tried to identify which key actions were reflected in the role play, and provide comments and feedback to the performing group. This exercise aims to help participants understand how the MS domains are interlinked. The activity-based sessions had positive feedback from all participants.

In 2017, Japan Platform and INEE plan to organize two additional trainings in Japan. Many of the participating groups and NGOs have been involved in Japan, where the devastating earthquake hit in 2011.

The views expressed in this blog are the author's own.

Takafumi Miyake is a Director for Japanese NGO, Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), in Nepal. Takafumi was previously a project manager for non-formal education project for refugees from Burma (Myanmar) along the Thailand border. He also worked on primary education in Afghanistan. He has served as a Secretary General for Japan NGO, Network for Education (JNNE), since 2002.