Evaluation of strengths and weaknesses

• Author: Applica, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission), Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
• Pages: 50-54

Case studies on the effectiveness of funding programmes – Key findings and study reports

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staff, the production of educational mat erial, the supply and installation of pre -fabricated

school units within accommodation centres, and di ssemination activities.

In addition, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has secured funding to cover

the co st of transporting children between the accommodation centres and schools. This

has been secured from two EU funds: for th e first two years from the Emergency Support

Instrument (ESI), and for the third year from the AMIF. Certain other expenses – mainly

related to cleaning and maintenance services for t he afternoon DYEP classes,

mediation/interpretation issues, and the training of teachers – have been covered mainly

by various international organisations (such as UNICEF and UNHCR), as well as some NGOs

and the Greek parliament.

Arrangements for monitoring and evaluating the programme were initially

underdeveloped. Although a working group was established, no monitoring tools and

processes had been provided for. To address this, the worki ng group adapted the existing

information technology system (‘myschool’)69 to monitor the attendance, dropping out and

performance of r efugee children attendin g public schools (reception and DYEP classes)70.

However, it is questionable whether this by itself is adequate. It is of utmost i mportance

to further develop/adapt the ‘myschool’ system to ensure that it works as a comprehensive

monitoring system of the parti cipation of all refugee and migrant children and of other

vulnerable groups of children (such as Roma children and disabled children) in the

education system. As for evaluation, no permanent arrangements have been put in place.

The only initiative was the ad hoc assessment71 of the first year of the programme, carried

out by the Scientific Committee for the Support of Refugee Chil dren. In short , the issues

of monitoring and evaluation have been addressed only partially; a comprehensive system

has not yet been put in place.

2 Evaluation of Strengths and Weaknesses

A short introductory note

Before assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the programme, it is necessary to

highlight some specific factors which have affected its design and implementation,

especially in its initial phase.

• The country was in the middle of a deep and prolonged economic crisis and was not

ready to respond to such a huge influx of refugees, to ma nage those remaining in

the count ry and to integrate th em into Greek society. The Greek auth orities had

neither previous experience nor the necessary means of dealing with such a

multidimensional issue as the education of refugee children.

• The programme was designed under time pressure because of the immediate need

to give refugee children living in isolated accom modation centres a ‘normal’

everyday environment, including attending school regularly.

• Refugee children were heterogeneous in terms of their socioeconomic and cul tural

characteristics; moreover, their numbers, locations and living conditions constantly

changed, mainly due to the mobility of the refugee population.

Overall, these factors have made the design, planning and implementati on of the

programme really difficul t. Notwithstandi ng this, and in spit e of delays and

69 The ‘myschool’ information technology system was designed and developed by the Ministry of Education for

monitoring education through the collection of data (such as on human resources in terms of teaching staff and

student population/flows, and building infrastructure) from all public and private schools. It has been in operation

since the school year 2013-2014 and is being co-funded by the European Social Fund. The responsibility for its

operation and maintenance lies with the Ministry of Education. The director of each school unit is responsible for

data entry on a daily basis, while access to the system is granted to the competent central and regional services

of the Ministry of Education.

70 See also: Scientific Committee for the Support of Refugee Children (2017).

71 This resulted in a number of proposals for the school year 2017/18. Some findings are presented in Section 2.