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UNDP Albania
“Croatia Education Recovery Support” (CERS)
Summary
“Croatia Education Recovery Support” (CERS) addressed education sector recovery process after the earthquake of 26 November 2019 in Albania. It aimed to support Albanian citizens in seven (7) different municipalities to improve their education outcomes.
The project was part of the Croatian Government’s financial commitment during the International Donor’s Conference, organized in Brussels on 17 February 2020 and was guided by the nine (9) principles of engagement foreseen in the Statement of Intent at the occasion of this Conference, namely: consistency, clarity, participation, transparency, accountability, equity, efficiency, resiliency and sustainability.
It is implemented by UNDP Albania, in cooperation with the Albanian Government.
The project aimed to deliver rapid assistance in two (2) main components:
- Reconstruction of “Iliria" 9-year school & kindergarten in Fushë-Kruja, Kruja Municipality, with a funding of Euro 1 million.
- Equipment of 8 IT laboratories in 8 education facilities, damaged by the earthquake, in 6 municipalities: Kamëz, Tiranë, Shijak, Durrës, Rrogozhinë and Kurbin.
CERS ensured pupils and communities don’t lose minimum education services, and to enable the gradual normalization of life of affected population in those municipalities, with education the foremost priority. The overall objective was to support national and local governments in reducing further social and economic losses, and to accelerate the recovery process through education facility reconstruction and equipment of IT laboratories.
The specific objectives were:
- To support reconstruction and repairing, including basic furnishing of an education facility in Kruja Municipality affected by the earthquake according to the EU standards.
- To provide increased transparency, accountability and inclusiveness to the recovery process.
- To improve capacities of central and local governments in accelerating the recovery processes according to the highest EU international standards.
- To improve the digital skills of students and teachers, through furnishing of 8 IT labs in education facilities damaged by the earthquake in 6 municipalities.
The proposal focused on restoring service delivery capacity and ensuring the shortest possible interruption in access to essential services, in particular for vulnerable groups, while using the recovery to the earthquake as opportunity to increase the resilience of the education system and accelerate the modernization of service delivery in the affected areas.
The newly built school
Background
The 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Albania on 26 November 2019, has left 51 people dead and injured thousands. It was the strongest earthquake to hit Albania in more than 40 years. Eleven municipalities, namely Shijak, Durrës, Krujë, Tiranë, Kamëz, Kavajë, Vorë, Rrogozhinë, Kurbin, Mirditë and Lezhë, with an approximate population of 1,185,286 persons, have suffered to varying degrees from the earthquake. For the first time in recent history, the Government of Albania announced a State of Natural Emergency in the prefectures/regions of Tirana, Durrës and Lezha. In order to identify the damages, losses and recovering needs arising from the earthquake, the Government of Albania in partnership with United Nations, European Union and World Bank undertook a full and comprehensive Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA).
The sectors assessed by PDNA are health, education, housing, productive sectors, infrastructure, social protection and civil protection and disaster risk reduction. According the PDNA, the total effect of the disaster in the 11 municipalities amounts to 985.1 million EUR (121.21 billion ALL), of which 843.9 million EUR (103.84 billion ALL) represents the value of destroyed physical assets and 141.2 million EUR (17.37 billion ALL) refer to losses. While the total recovery needs are 1,076.15 billion EUR (132.4 billion ALL) across all sectors and for the 11 affected municipalities.
One of the most damaged sectors is the education sector. Damages were reported to 321 educational institutions (all types including dormitories) in the 11 affected municipalities, representing 24% of all educational establishments.
Major achievements
The project achieved the following results:
- Result 1: “Iliria” 9-year school & kindergarten in Kruja Municipality reconstructed and furnished.
- Result 2: 8 IT labs furnished in 8 education facilities damaged by the earthquake.
- Result 3: Strengthened transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in this process of recovery.
Project Outcome
- A Memorandum of Understanding is signed between UNDP Albania and Kruja Municipality to define rights and obligations for the reconstruction of 9-year school & kindergarten “Iliria”.
- A consultation meeting with the participation of 41 representatives of parents, teachers, communities, local authorities etc. is organized, aiming to involve the above participants on the selection of the design they want for 9-year school & kindergarten “Iliria” in order to build back better and build back together through community engagement.
- Technical survey to assess the actual conditions of 9-year school & kindergarten “Iliria” and a cost estimate is done from the consulting company.
- Two meetings of Steering Committee were organized. The first one on the 25th of May 2021 and the second one on the 8th of February 2022.
- A place check for 9-year school & kindergarten “Iliria” was organized on the 7th of July 2022 where all participants completed a satisfaction survey: the school director, teachers and pupils were fully satisfied as per forms and data collected.
- Furnishing and equipping 9-year school & kindergarten “Iliria” was completed (including furniture, IT equipment, supplies and equipment for the bio-chemistry laboratory, books for the library, training equipment for the gym as well).
- The civil works for 9-year school & kindergarten “Iliria” ended on 5 September 2022 and the facility (school and kindergarten) welcomed pupils, children and teachers in the new academic year (2022 -2023).
- Equipment of 8 IT laboratories with latest technological devices and adequate stationery in 8 different education facilities, part of municipalities of: Kamëz, Tiranë, Shijak, Durrës, Rrogozhinë & Kurbin. List of education facilities as follows:
- 9-year school “Ahmet Zogu” in Kamëz Municipality
- 9-year school “Halit Coka” in Kamëz Municipality
- 9-year school “Pezë Helmes” in Tiranë Municipality
- High School “Kajo Karafili” in Shijak Municipality
- 9-year school “Lidhja e Prizrenit” in Shijak Municipality
- 9-year school “Njazi Mastori” in Durrës Municipality
- 9-year school “Qamil Gjuzi” in Rrogozhinë Municipality
- 9-year school “Migjeni” in Kurbin Municipality
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