Best Practices Guidelines No.13: Enrolling children door after door

Class photo of formerly out-of-school children, Kimpanda Primary School of Djuma (Bandundu). Benoit Almeras / UNICEF, 2014.

ENROLLING CHILDRENDOOR AFTER DOOR

Door-to-Door Enrollment Campaigns in Bandundu Province

According to the national survey on Out-Of-School Children (OOSC) conducted in 2012 with the technical support from UNICEF, more than 7 million children aged 5 to 17 were not enrolled or not attending school. Half of these are 6 to 11 years old, the age group corresponding to the compulsory primary education.

The survey identified household poverty; long distance between homes and schools; the poor physical state of schools; the low education level of parents; and gender discrimination are

considered as the main causes explaining this phenomenon.

In order to respond to this issue, the education authorities of Bandundu province have set up the door-to-door strategy to enroll children in age of attending first grade, with the support of UNICEF.

This strategy is implemented as a part of the back-to-school campaign. It is a simple and effective initiative that encourages parents to enroll their children in school.

CONTEXT

UNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND Democratic Republ ic of the Congo

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Diane Nzinga, 7 years old, was enrolled at Kimpanda school following the 2013 door-to-door campaign. As a first-grader, she learned how to read and write.UNICEF / Benoit Almeras-Martino, 2014.

Children of 6 and 7 years of age are the main targets of the door-to-door campaign. In Bandundu only, 200,000 of these chi ldren were not attending school according to the OOSC survey.

The door-to-door campaign covers the 52 educational subdivisions of the entire province of Bandundu.

The campaign planning takes place in July during a preparation workshop, pr ior to the start of the school year.

For the 2014 campaign, each educational subdivision was divided into several s ites (9-10 sites per subdivision on average) where the actual campaign was conducted under the supervision of a member of the Educational administrat ion of the province. On average, each site covers f ifteen primary schools.

Before the start of the campaign, every school records the number of 6 and 7 year olds who are already enrol led in f i rst grade.

Three weeks after the beginning of

classes, a team of four identif iers is set up in every part icipating school1. The team has the responsibi l i ty of identifying chi ldren who are not yet enrol led.

Within a week, the team visits 80 famil ies (on average) l iv ing in the vicinity of the school, using a basic door-to-door method. In every family, the team members record the total number of 6 and 7 years old chi ldren; the number of chi ldren who are not yet enrol led; and the main reason explaining why the latter have not yet been enrol led.

Parents are encouraged to enrol l their chi ldren2, but not forced to do so.

At the end of the campaign, every school conducts a census among the f irst graders in order to assess the number of chi ldren who have been enrol led as a result of the campaign.

1 the members of the team are usually the schools principal, a member of the Parents Committee, a teacher who is also a member of the schools management committee and a person of authority within the community.2 if they decide to enroll their children, parents can choose any school within the supervision site.

USING IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

During the campaign, the members of the identification team fill in identification sheets recording the number of 6 and 7 year old children who are enrolled and not yet enrolled in first grade.

The identification sheets are sent to the site supervisor, who compiles collected data in a supervision form sent to the educational subdivision.

The Educational Division compiles data received and forwards a report to the provincial ministry in charge of the primary education.

This allows the province to track the number of children who have been effectively enrolled at school and, if necessary, adjust the management of the door-to-door campaign.

The Educational Subdivision synthesizes all the supervision forms and produces a report sent to Educational Division.

DESIGN: HOW IT WORKS

ENROLLING CHILDREN DOOR AFTER DOOR Door to Door Enrol lment Campaigns in Bandundu Province

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It is 6:30 AM in Djuma. The day has just begun. Jacques Kudia, Ngweme Schools principal, has been up for more than an hour already. While pupils arrive at the schools plot, Jacques intends to visit the last remaining neighborhood in order to complete his part of the door-to-door campaign.

His assistant, Henri Makwata, has joined to help him fill the identification sheets, which serve to do an account of the children who are not yet enrolled at Ngweme School.

We kept the easiest part for the end, warns Jacques. This area is close from the schools premises. We shouldnt find any out-of-school children.

The door-to-door campaign lasts for six days. Each member of Ngweme Schools identification team must visit 28 families. This can only be done during the early morning or late afternoon hours.

This morning, Jacques and Henri only need to visit about ten houses. The doors of the already visited houses were marked with chalk so they are not visited twice.

Unsurprisingly, the children of the visited families are already enrolled at Ngweme School. Yet Jacques and Henri take time to complete the identification form while discussing with the parents.

It is now 7:30 AM, and Jacques and Henris tour is coming to an end. Last

year, the identification team found 22 children who were not yet enrolled in first grade. Only five of them were eventually enrolled.

In 2013, we encountered more difficulties, says Jacques because the schools classroom were in terrible shape. We sensitized the parents about that issue.

I was very surprised by their commitment. Every pupils parents gave 1,000 francs to buy local bricks. Everyone worked hard to build new classrooms. UNICEF helped us by providing metal sheets for the roofing. Now all parents want to enroll their children at Ngweme School!

In 2014, 79 new students have already enrolled in first grade. The number is expected to rise : at least 8 out-of-school children will enroll in first grade at the end of the door-to-door campaign according to the identification team.

I expect parents to come this afternoon to enroll them, explains Jacques enthusiastically.

This campaign was easier than the previous one. Parents are used to see us. We are better at convincing them to enroll their children at school. I think we will have to open a second classroom for first-graders soon!

IN DJUMA, OPEN DOORS DAY FOR THE IDENTIFICATION TEAM


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GRADUAL ROLLOUT OF THE DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGNThis helped test its effectiveness and adjust the functioning of the door-to-door campaigns throughout the Province (table below).

School Year Subdivisions covered Primary schools covered

2011/2012 4 subdivisions 94 primary schools2012/2013 21 subdivisions 2000 primary schools2013/2014 50 subdivisions 6081 primary schools2014/2015 52 subdivisions 7123 primary schools

COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION24,000 volunteers visited nearly 488,000 families during the 2013 door-to-door campaign. The 2014 campaign has mobilized over 28,000 volunteers and reached 600,000 families.

EFFECTIVE ENROLLMENT OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDRENThe 2013 campaign contributed to enrolling more than 100,000 children in first-grade. School enrollment rates increased by 42% compared to 2012.

ADJUSTING 2014 DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGNFollowing the evaluation of the 2013, the preparation workshop held in July 2014 limited the number of schools per supervision sites, in order to improve data collection and reporting.

EXTENDING 2014 CAMPAIGN450 supervisors were mobilized in 2014, a 36% increase from the 2013 campaign. The campaign duration was increased by two days (six instead of four) in order to facilitate identification work. This will also help volunteers maintain their professional activity.

What made me proud was seeing the kids enroll, complete the first grade, and even see some had had very good results!

- Mathilde Baba, member of Lusangas Mazal Primary Schools identification team.

When Im at school, I like having my uniform, notebooks

and pens. I like reading, writing and learning.

- Franoise Malenge, 7, second-grader at Lusanga Primary School. She was enrolled in first grade after the

2013 door-to-door campaign.

DELIVER: WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED


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THE AUTHORITIES INVOLVEMENTThe governor of Bandundu, the provinces highest pol it ical authority, personal ly launched the 2014 door-to-door campaign. He set clear directions to the education authorit ies. A dozen members of the provincial par l iament set up a working group to promote universal pr imary education. The education authorit ies have sensit ized the pol it ical and rel igious authorit ies in order to involve them in the school enrol lment campaigns.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITIES AT ALL LEVELSThe door-to-door campaigns rely on constant report ing, through the identif icat ion sheets, supervision reports and synthesis. These tools faci l i tated the monitor ing and evaluation of the door-to-door campaigns.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERSJust l ike immunization campaigns, community members conduct door-to-door campaigns. They have the confidence of the famil ies they visit.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONIn the rural areas of Bandundu, few famil ies have access to the radio. Publ ic meetings in places of worship, markets, and direct vis its to the famil ies are the most effective methods to convince parents to enrol l their chi ldren at school. The impressive coverage of the 2013 campaign (480,000 visited famil ies) is a real opportunity to work across the province.

MAINTAINING ENROLLED CHILDREN AT SCHOOL82% of the f irst graders completed a ful l year, despite the dramatic increase in enrol lment rate. In a vast major ity of cases, the f irst graders who were enrol led after the door-to-door campaign obtained the required average in grades to move up to the second grade.

Honorable Augustine BunguBandundus provincial Member of Parliament

When we hold public meetings, I try to convince families to enroll their daughters, because they are key to development. I want to

serve them as a role model and prove that we can combine education, work and family life.

Honorable Rmi KitiriBandundus provincial Member of Parliament

We are the voice of the population. We plead to our authorities so that the education sector

has greater resources to support the education of every child in Bandundu.

Wivine MusumariHead of Bulungu 3 educational subdivision

What struck me most was the vitality of communities in the identification of Out-Of-School Children. I am proud that we have recovered these children and that we have also

rehabilitated 96 classrooms in 16 schools to improve their educational environment.

In Djuma, the 2014 door-to-door campaign was launched with the support of the pol it ical authorit ies of the province.

DISCOVER: WHAT IS WORKING


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In Bandundu, one of the stated goals is to recover al l chi ldren in age of enter ing pr imary school. This would enable the province to symbol ical ly achieve the second Mil lennium Development Goals, which aims to provide qual ity pr imary education for al l . Several directions have been identif ied to complete the activit ies of the door-to-door campaign.

DEVELOPING PARENTAL EDUCATIONonly one out of two chi ldren in age of enrol l ing in f i rst grade were actual ly recovered. Many barr iers persist in the minds of parents, especial ly related to the enrol lment of gir ls and the actual cost of education. Parental education can serve as a cr it ical tool to improve gir ls education.

IMPROVING SCHOOL CAPACITIESFol lowing the 2013 campaign, the number of pupi ls per teacher in f i rst grade increased signif icantly1. This increase was not accompanied by a strengthening of the schools capacit ies. Many schools are expected to double the number of f i rst grade classes to improve the educational environment of the pupi ls.

1 39 to 42 pupils per teachers in the case of Bulungu 3 educational subdivision

ESTABLISHING SOLIDARITY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION MECHANISMS FOR VULNERABLE CHILDRENIn many cases, the construction of new classrooms begins with community fundraising. These mechanisms could also help parents to cope with the overal l cost of education.

KEEPING CHILDREN IN SCHOOL USING ALTERNATIVE METHODSIn Djuma, UNICEF del ivered recreational kits to some schools. For the 2014-2015 school year, school suppl ies were distr ibuted to nearly 52,000 new first graders of Bandundu. UNICEF is considering the provision of grants to nearly 1,700 primary schools to ensure the retention of the most vulnerable chi ldren, which include chi ldren 6 and 7 years old who have been recovered thanks to the campaign.

EXTENDING THE DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGNS TO THE WHOLE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, based on the Bandundu experience.

Parents who decided to enroll their children at school following the 2013 door-to-door campaign

DREAM: VISION FOR THE FUTURE


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Pupils walk back to their homes after the end of the class.UNICEF / Benoit Almeras-Martino, 2014.

The door-to-door campaigns are led in partnership with the Ministry of Education of the province of Bandundu.

This initiative is part of the Back to School campaign, supported by the Educate A Child foundation and the Global Partnership for Education.

Documents

Best Practices Guidelines No.13: Enrolling children door after door