In the predominantly rural communities of Africa, three out of four adults would not be able to read this blog post. There, in the most impoverished regions of the world, the link between literacy and poverty extends far beyond education. It impacts the ability for women to read prescription labels when caring for their ailing children or farmers trying to decipher the instructions for much-needed chemical packaging.
Since most adult students work during the day, their only option is night classes. As daylight dwindles, villagers are limited to about 15 minutes of actual learning time; the duration that the single kerosene classroom lantern hovers over their desks. Ironically, rural African teachers aren’t facing a shortage of enthusiastic students, but a lack of resources punctuated by limited to no electricity.
According to today’s report in The New York Times, a growing movement of parents, educators and philanthropists has banded together to strengthen the education system for poor and working-class students in South Africa. As a result, new private schools like Leap are “springing up” to serve this niche market.
The Leap schools — which, according to the Times, function a bit like charter schools — have adjusted the curriculum to fit the students’ needs. The school offers extra support for national matriculation exams, instill a fierce work ethic and provide a “life orientation” class to help students air out their personal problems.
These “charter” schools are just one part of South Africa’s up-and-coming education movement — but it’s good to see that concerned citizens are taking the matter into their own hands. Take a look at the story and read more about education on our issues page.
Check out this now post from our friends at Batonga, an organization that works to support both secondary school and higher education for girls in Africa.
Girls living in poverty make up one out of every ten—or over 600 million—people on the planet.
Over the past decade, the international community has made universal primary education a big priority for girls. Girls with a primary school education marry later, have fewer children, and have healthier families.
But it’s important not to overlook the need for secondary education, too. Today, fewer than 17% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete secondary school. We at the Batonga Foundation are looking to change this.
Started in 2006 by Angelique Kidjo (a world renowned singer and UNICEF goodwill ambassador), Batonga works to equip adolescent girls with the skills, tools, and support they need to complete their education—with everything from scholarships and academic and life skills support programs to necessary school supplies. To date, we’ve awarded scholarships to 500 girls in 5 African countries.
If all Africans are to drive change in Africa, we can’t assume that a primary education will be enough. Batonga women and girls are evidence that secondary and higher education opens great doors and offers a world of possibility. As one graduate put it “Now, I am a full person.”
To find out more about what you can do to help, click here.
The greatest football tournament in the world gets underway tomorrow. I can’t wait. I only wish my team (England) was on slightly better form, but I’m still hopeful! There is also something positive we can do to create a lasting legacy that could see millions more kids receive an education…
South African President Jacob Zuma has just announced that he will hold a global leadership summit during the World Cup. The aim? Push leaders to give the 72 million children still out of school an education by 2015. Something that’s not hard to support. So ONE is teaming up with 1GOAL, bringing together footballers and fans, to give world leaders the extra kick needed to make it happen.
Make sure to write your own personal message with the petition as 1GOAL will be delivering these ‘yellow cards’ to world leaders on 7 July.
Since 2000, 42 million more children are in school thanks to effective aid and other policies. As the world turns its attention to Africa for the first football World Cup held on the continent, let’s enjoy the game and help give every child a basic education.
This week, the government of Lesotho passed an Education Act into law that will legalize the right to free and compulsory education. This single act will ensure that all kids in Lesotho will be able to access the education they deserve.
Lesotho already introduced free primary education in 2000, which increased primary enrollment rates to 82 percent. The new education act should further increase enrollment rates, specifically amongst the most vulnerable children that are still out of school. Lesotho has the third highest prevalence of HIV and 12 percent of their population is orphaned. This is the group of kids that will benefit the most from the new education act.
Learning from the experience of other countries, the Lesotho government intends to invest in ensuring proper financing for quality education so that the good news goes beyond enrollment to a real opportunity to learn.
The government of Lesotho already ranks high amongst countries in Africa that prioritize education in their budgets. They deserve special recognition for their efforts to achieve education for all, and are now well on their way to achieve the MDG on education as well as eliminate gender disparities in accessing education.
As you likely read on the ONE blog last Friday, last week was a big week for education. Congresswoman Nita Lowey unveiled the Education for All Act of 2010 and Jessica Alba launched the 1GOAL: Education for All campaign.
Save the Children has also been quite busy spreading the word about the importance of education in recent months. In fact, America Ferrera—Save the Children’s Artist Ambassador for Education—recently returned from a trip to Mali, where she talked with teenage girls, played with preschoolers and met with community groups to learn about small ways that people can make a big difference in helping to educate children in Africa.
Learn more about America’s trip in the video diary below:
Queen Rania Al Abdullah has a column in today’s The Globe and Mail expressing the need to pursue “Education for All” goals and the role Canada can play as host of the G8 and G20 can play in pushing the issue.
She writes:
In June, Canada is set to play host to the G8 and the G20, the political equivalent of the Winter Olympics. It’s where Canada can fight for education with the tenacity of its victorious hockey team.
Because, like that hockey team, Canada’s education system is a national treasure and one of the best in the world. The Canadian International Development Agency is a power player, lifting the lives of Haitians, Iraqis, Afghans and many others.
Why is Education for All Canada’s calling? Because, if nothing else, education is a fundamental Canadian value . I mean, quality education for every child? That’s what I call Canadian, eh?
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