International action in times of emergencies is now well established. The lessons of the post-tsunami relief in the first six months of 2005 are now recorded.
Unsurprisingly the demands of these relief efforts, whether protecting refugees, distributing food or medical attention, or rebuilding damaged property and societies, have obscured the various educational needs which arise and the attempts by organisations to meet these needs.
As displaced communities are forced to settle for more extended periods in makeshift communities and makeshift premises, their social and educational needs grow. New political arrangements (at a community level and in relations with local authorities and any emergency organisations), gaps in community leadership, coping with disrupted socialization processes, especially amongst young people and children, will all need to be attended to by communities and matters can be made much easier by educational programmes.
In some cases, where displaced communities are in a state of limbo, education can provide some purpose to otherwise long periods of apparent dependency.
In such emergency situations, there is need for educators seeking to be of assistance to consider questions of entrance and access and relevance. Curricula may initially focus on simple adjustments such as obtaining paper work, on grief and trauma work, and on rebuilding community. If communities are forced to remain for extended periods in temporary circumstances, more long term concerns of personal development, civic skills, and vocational training or skill honing may be possible. Given the importance of community building, educators may choose to use peer education techniques and self-governance processes.
However, education programmes of any depth require time in planning, premises, and personnel – and a too heavy investment in these may solidify the circumstances of people who would rather return to previous homes, or may have their own opinions about how best reconstruction and reinvestment should be done.
