Yemen continues to face one of the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crises as its people confront ongoing violent conflicts, starvation, an economic blockade and the continuing effects of COVID-19. More than half the population requires humanitarian support. 

Education in Yemen has not been spared during the war. An estimated 2,000 schools damaged during conflict are currently hosting internally displaced people or are occupied by armed groups. Of the more than 4.2 million displaced persons in Yemen, approximately 2 million are school-aged children and youth, which further contributes to education gaps. COVID-19 prevention measures closed schools for most of 2020 and 2021, which disrupted learning for 5.8 million children. 

USAID, other donors and civil society partners are working with Yemen’s Ministry of Education to strengthen distance/remote learning programs, provide personal protective equipment for teachers and reduce overcrowding in classrooms to support safe school reopening plans. 

USAID’s flagship Gateway to Education program supports a stronger, resilient education system that provides quality formal education. This five-year educational project supports safe and equitable access to education; improvements in teaching and learning materials and classroom practices; upgraded facilities and more educational supplies; and stronger institutional support for the education system.  

Activities target vulnerable households through remedial education, female empowerment through the formation of girls’ clubs and student government in schools, increased access for children with disabilities through the provision of adaptive technologies and better teacher competencies through training.  

With Save the Children as the lead implementer, Creative works together with the Education Ministry to revise and develop literacy and numeracy curriculum, textbooks, and training guides for first through third grades, coupled with the related in-service teacher training program. Creative also works on a variety of system strengthening activities focusing on institutional capacity development, human resource management systems, and teacher professional development plans.  

The Gateway team has made considerable progress in early grade curriculum review and development process. The team is developing training of master trainers to support the quality of teaching and learning in schools at the national and sub-national levels. Creative is also conducting an evidence-based integrated approach to address institutional and personnel gaps in delivery of functional, safe and inclusive education, governance, and administrative components of Yemen’s basic education system.