#UNHCR and Vodafone Foundation announce expansion of educational programme to help more than 500,000 refugee students

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that 70.8 million people globally have been forcibly displaced by war, violence, and natural disasters. 25.9 million are refugees living in a foreign country, and over half of these are children who are often deprived of access to a quality education. During my time as Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, we worked hard to end violent conflict and transform the lives of millions through education, writes Joakim Reiter.

At Vodafone, I continue to drive this agenda through the Vodafone Foundation, which has been working for over eight years to try and ensure that every young refugee can access a high-quality education. This week I was honoured to join 80 world leaders at the first Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, to announce that Vodafone Foundation and UNHCR are expanding the Instant Network Schools (INS) programme to benefit more than 500,000 refugee students. INS is a free digital learning programme, which is transforming the lives of refugees by offering access to accredited, high-quality and relevant digital educational content.

Instant Classroom – the equipment used for INS – is a digital ‘school in a box’ which connects children in some of the world’s largest and most poorly resourced refugee camps to a better quality of education. The expansion will make Vodafone Foundation UNHCR’s largest corporate partner for connected education. Jean, one of our INS students, lives in a refugee camp near the border with Burundi, having lost his family to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Jean had never used a computer or a touch screen, but now he is learning about the Tanganyika region’s flora and fauna, as well as economics. Another student, David, fled the war in South Sudan and reached Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. Education opportunities in South Sudan were nearly non-existent due to violence, but David aspired to be an accountant.

David used an Instant Classroom installed at Kakuma Community Library to study and, through his hard work and dedication, received a scholarship to an online university course. He is now on track to become an accountant. David credits his education for making him more confident and he wants to help rebuild his community. By expanding access to digital education resources, we are helping displaced students like David and Jean learn the skills they need to succeed and ensure that they feel connected to the world around them. We will open nearly 300 new INS schools across across six countries, increasing the number of schools where there is an existing INS footprint and expanding into new geographies by 2025.

The INS programme connects young people to education by offering tablet computers and mobile content, supported by teacher training and additional digital resources. The INS programme has already shown a positive impact on learning outcomes. Early-stage evaluation has demonstrated an ICT literacy improvement of 61% in students and 125% in teachers. Using our initial success as a foundation, we want to set attainable and impactful goals. Over the next five-years, we aspire to have a 25% increase in average exam scores and 25% more students passing secondary exams. We want to see a 75% increase in digital competencies and confidence on digital platforms. We want to support teachers and believe our technology can help improve their confidence in lesson planning by 35%. Vodafone Foundation is scaling its reach and expected impact to create an inclusive approach to quality education for all. In a world where nearly 1 person is forcibly displaced every two seconds as a result of conflict or persecution* we all have a responsibility to consider what role we can play to support.

Vodafone Foundation has a long history of deploying technology and people where needed most. In immediate crisis we have provided free mobile data and charging stations to refugees and logistical assistance to relief workers. We are dedicated to continuing our work around the world to use Vodafone’s technology to help alleviate suffering and bring families together. With the €26 million partnership commitment we made alongside UNHCR, in addition to the free connectivity provided to schools, we are calling for other corporate and development organisations to join Vodafone Foundation in supporting quality education for all. It is only in working together that we stand a chance of achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, creating a better and more sustainable future for all.

Joakim Reiter is the group external affairs director at Vodafone Group. He previously served as assistant secretary-general of the United Nations and as the deputy secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

*United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Figures at a Glance 

Share this article: