Education

Good news: global education success in Copenhagen

Nov 10th, 2011 12:26 PM UTC
By Lauren Pfeifer

Earlier this week, representatives from 52 countries met in Copenhagen, Denmark for the first-ever replenishment of The Global Partnership for Education. You may have read our coverage leading up to the Partnership’s big event.

In total, 57 pledges were made, constituting an initial commitment totaling $1.5 billion. It’s crucial to maintain this spotlight on education in advance of the 2015 MDG deadline, as the Partnership will continue their efforts during this replenishment period, raising an addition $1 billion before 2014 in order to send 25 million children to school (along with some other important goals). In addition to pledges from new donors, a dozen donors committed to predictable, multi-year contributions, ensuring the Global Partnership will provide stable assistance to partner developing countries. This pledging conference was about increasing funds for education across bilateral, multilateral and private channels. Five leading donors –France, European Commission, Germany, Australia and United Kingdom – committed to significant increases in bilateral support to education, ensuring their leadership in education assistance.

The United Kingdom continued its leadership within the Global Partnership, pledging $352 million for the period 2011-2014, more than any other donor.
Australia also made a robust pledge, of $278 million.
France pledged $65 million, and made commitments to divert a portion of the profits from a forthcoming Financial Transaction Tax to education assistance for developing countries.
Canada pledged $57 million,
the European Union $53 million
and Germany $21 million, all for the pledging period (2011-2014).

True to the Partnership’s name, this pledging conference was not just about traditional developed country donors. Developing countries, civil society organizations, and private sector companies were also represented. Twenty-eight Education Ministers from developing countries attended the event, coming with pledges of their own. Thirty developing country partners pledged to increase domestic expenditure for basic education by at least $2.2 billion during the pledging period (2011-2014). In addition to increasing domestic spending, developing country partners have committed to tackling barriers that prevent children from accessing a quality basic education, increasing school infrastructure, and increasing interventions that specifically target barriers to girls. Finally, developing country partners have pledged to recruit, train, and deploy hundreds of thousands of teachers.

Civil society, the teaching profession, the private sector and foundations also pledged to invest almost $2 billion of their own organizational resources to expand activities in universal quality basic education programs over the replenishment period. Just one of these pledges, from Education International, commits to provide technical and financial support for the development and implementation of competence profiles to ensure teachers are meeting quality guidelines, as well as to recruit and train 1.8 million teachers in Global Partnership for Education countries.

Congratulations to The Global Partnership for Education on a successful first replenishment event. These initial pledges will provide millions of children with a quality primary education. We look forward to donor and partner efforts to leverage this momentum around education into more ambitious commitments in the pursuit of quality primary education for all.

Literacy Lessons Under a Munhunguru Tree

Sep 8th, 2011 1:42 PM UTC
By ONE Partners

To mark International Literacy Day, Tererai Trent, PhD, Educator and Humanitarian, talks about the importance of education as a pathway out of poverty.

It began with a geography book. I was eight-years-old and excited to look at a book my brother had brought home from school. But when he opened the pages, nothing made sense to me. I cried, pleading with him to tell me what was in the book.

Today, as we mark International Literacy Day, I am reminded of the despair I felt 40 years ago, in a small village in Zimbabwe, living in the darkness of illiteracy.

Poverty and time-held traditions prevented many girls like me from going to school at that time, but I was determined to learn what my brother learned at school.

In the afternoons, after taking our family’s herd of cattle to graze, my brother and I would sneak away to sit under the shade of a Munhunguru tree. He would patiently teach me how to sound out words in English and Shona, our local language, and explain their meaning.

The world has changed a lot since then. More children in low-income countries are in school today. Wealthy nations have done more to promote and support education in developing countries. And developing countries have made education more of a priority.

It is an achievement of which we all should be proud. But rapid enrollment has brought its own set of challenges, among them overcrowded classrooms, children entering school for the first time at different ages, and ill-equipped and unprepared teachers.

Indeed, more children are attending school, but many of them do so without learning. Research by Save the Children in Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal and Pakistan reveals that a startling number of children in the early grades could not read a single word.

Education is a proven pathway out of poverty, but only if children know how to read and learn along the way. How can we achieve this?

First, we need trained teachers. There are many teachers whose dedication is beyond reproach but who have not received guidance on how to teach children properly. This is true especially in conflict-affected countries where education systems have been disrupted, often for years.

My own story reveals the impact a skilled teacher can have on a child. My brother’s teacher, Mr. Gwaradzimba, caught on that I was doing my brother’s homework. Instead of penalizing my brother, he pleaded with my father to let me attend school.

The first day I stepped inside the classroom, shoeless and wearing my father’s shirt as a dress, Mr. Gwaradzimba warmly welcomed me. He had faith in me and often said, “Tererai, the way you read and write is not perfect, but I will teach you how to do it better.”

But the responsibility of teaching our children how to be better readers and learners does not rest on teachers alone, regardless of how well-trained they are. Within communities, a culture of reading outside classrooms must also exist.

This culture develops when reading is encouraged at home and through community activities like creating reading materials or encouraging children to read signs that they see as part of their daily life.

Finally, countries need to put in place policies and investments that support children’s literacy programs. In today’s climate, where budgets for global education are in danger of severe cuts, it saddens me to know that gains in education are being threatened. There are children who may never be reached.

Forty years ago, I was a young cattle-herding girl with a dream for an education. Who would have imagined that I would go on to get my bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees? As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded that the need to create social justice through education remains urgent. There are children who still need the same opportunity that I received. Why should my dream not be possible for all children? It is achievable – Tinogona.

ONE would like to thank Save the Children US for their help in preparing this blog post. Photo of Tererai Trent by Glen McDowell photography. Photo of children reading at the Matau Primary School courtesy of Save the Children.

A meal a day is all it takes

May 12th, 2011 10:00 PM UTC
By Emily Alpert

Driving down a bumpy and barely navigable road in Malawi, we arrived at the Mawango School, greeted by tons of school children with beaming smiles.

“Look at those round cheeks, beautiful smiles,” remarked Florence from the Ministry of Education who joined ONE’s site visit. “The children are happy because they have taken their porridge.” At this school feeding program, run by the World Food Programme, the 777 students at Mawango are guaranteed a bowl of porridge made from a corn-soya blend, sweetened with sugar and fortified with essential nutrients.

Girls and orphaned boys also get a monthly take-home ration conditioned on 80% attendance. Some of this food is grown by Malawian farmers and delivered by the WFP through their Purchase for Progress program. So the WFP is helping to feed the undernourished, helping to keep kids -– especially girls -– in school, and improve the livelihoods of Malawian small-scale maize farmers.

Photos by Morgana Wingard

1 important goal

Sep 20th, 2010 11:00 PM UTC
By Nora Coghlan

While we wish we could attend all the events happening this week in NYC, it’s just not possible. So here’s a great post from our colleague Nora Coghlan on the MDGs and education.

Earlier this morning, I listened to a powerful panel of speakers –- including former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, UK Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell, Queen Rania of Jordan and World Bank Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala –- rally around a single issue: education for all by 2015.

Under the banner of 1GOAL, a global campaign for universal education that recruited 18 million supporters during this summer’s World Cup, the panelists kicked off a week of MDG-related discussions by underscoring the fact that with its links to democracy, family health and economic growth, education is central to meeting all the MDGs and achieving long-term development beyond 2015.

More than one of the panelists cited this new Lancet study, which credits women’s education for half of the reduction in child mortality over the past few decades, as the latest in a growing mountain of evidence that says education leads to progress on multiple fronts.

It wasn’t all talk, though.

ONE members join the football world and African leaders in calling for education for all

Jul 15th, 2010 10:50 AM UTC
By David Cole

The yellow card is presented to South African President Jacob Zuma.

After a month of excitement on the pitch the football World Cup is now over for another 4 years. But whatever team you supported, the real winner was Africa, with the tournament shining a light on continent and helping to shift many of the negative perceptions about it.

But just as important was what happened off the pitch, with world leaders meeting in Johannesburg prior to the final to attend the World Education Summit, hosted by South African President, Jacob Zuma. The Summit brought together more than 100 delegates with heads of state from Kenya, Mozambique and Botswana, as well as FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, co-chair of 1GOAL attending.

During the summit our friends at 1GOAL presented a giant yellow card to President Zuma containing the names and messages from supporters around the world, including more than 10,000 ONE members, all calling on world leaders to provide education for 72 million children worldwide by 2015.

The leaders responded to the call, and their commitment to invest in universal education together with the call from African Heads of State to urgently prioritise investment in education are very welcome.

The summit in South Africa is an important first step but the major breakthrough needs to come at the upcoming UN Summit in September to help accelerate progress towards all the Millennium Development Goals.

Aaron Mokoena, 1GOAL ambassador and South Africa football captain said:

“President Zuma must be credited for calling this summit. 14 million football fans from around the world have signed up to this campaign and now world leaders need to make the dream of Education for All a reality. History shows that where the political will exists, great things can happen. South Africa now shares the delivery of this legacy with the rest of the world.”

And with the next World Cup taking place in Brazil in 4 years time, former Brazilian player Socrates added:

“Without an education children can be left with little more than hope to get them through life and the fact that today, in 2010, millions of children cannot go to school due to grinding poverty shames us all.  We look to the Brazilian State and the next President to ensure there is a lasting legacy from this World Cup. In Brazil there are still approximately 5 million children of primary school age not attending school and approximately 14 million illiterate adults. Brazil must continue the good work that has started in South Africa and sustain this work so that by the next World Cup in Brazil, we have taken huge strides in getting every child into school.”

1GOAL

Jun 10th, 2010 12:24 PM UTC
By Roxane Philson

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.

Please join millions of people around the world by taking action

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.

Now wouldn’t that be a legacy for the World Cup.

Lesotho passes Education Act

May 20th, 2010 10:49 PM UTC
By Edith Jibunoh

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.

Jessica Alba on education for all

Mar 23rd, 2010 12:23 PM UTC
By Jessica Alba

I had an incredible week, joining the ONE team on the road in Senegal and Ghana as part of the 1GOAL: Education for All campaign to make the lasting legacy of the upcoming World Cup education for every child.

I’ve wanted to travel to Africa my whole life and when offered the opportunity to listen and learn alongside ONE, it was a once in a lifetime chance that I couldn’t pass up. I’ve always admired the work ONE has done and being able to see the programs you’ve contributed to firsthand was inspiring.

We met African entrepreneurs and academics, spoke with civil society and private sector leaders. We sat with street vendors at a microfinance project, heard from women now able to save their and their children’s lives through ARV HIV/AIDS treatment. We met some amazing people, a new generation of leaders for not only the continent, but for the world.

My goal in going on this trip was to listen closely and learn more about the fight against global poverty. And what I heard repeatedly was that as I’ve always believed, education has the power to lift individuals, communities and entire nations out of poverty. From a promising business idea to a woman pushing cultural boundaries to stand up and speak out, education has been the key.

Today, 72 million kids are out of school around the world, the majority of them girls. Without an education, they are almost certain to be trapped in a life of poverty and robbed of the knowledge of their basic human rights. Every year a child is out of school is a year they lose in literacy, in health, in opportunity.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Since 2000, because people like you and governments took action, 48 million more children are in school. And if we come together around this World Cup, we can do even more to put education front and center. Together with FIFA, leading players and fans around the world, we can use the power of this truly global game to ensure that education for all is a lasting impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We have a plan, we know how to beat this—all we need now is the will to make it happen.

Increased global education funding fights global poverty at the root, empowers girls and women, and promotes economic growth in poor countries around the world. And it’s a very smart investment: experts tell us that a girl will earn an additional 10% in income for every year of schooling she receives and be 50% less likely to become infected with HIV/AIDS. In Africa, children of mothers who receive five years of primary education are 40% more likely to live beyond the age of 5. It’s a proactive measure to avert many of the problems that plague developing countries.

We spent a day at Osu School in Accra, Ghana, where initiatives to provide free school uniforms and free lunch to students have dramatically increased enrollment. And they have one other policy with great results—requiring perfect attendance to play on the school’s soccer or “football” team! As a result of these programs, 71% of Ghanaian girls and 73% of Ghanaian boys go to school. Ghana’s President John Atta Mills has even signed up to 1GOAL, promising to provide free textbooks to every student.

At Osu, we met Stephen, an 18-year-old student with enormous talent. The Ghanaian Premiere League has already had their eye on this young goalkeeper for the past three years. The school’s headmaster has been keeping tabs on Stephen, constantly reminding him that you can’t be a good player without a good education. He stresses to Stephen that the only way he will know how to sustain the wealth and opportunities he will gain as a “footballer” (soccer player) is by having an education.

Stephen is an inspiring young man. He is the eldest of seven children and his family’s sole provider. He wakes early, goes to school, practices with his coaches in the afternoon and then goes to work at night as a busboy to support the family. On average he goes non-stop for 18 hours.

He told us that he now understands he cannot be a footballer or achieve his dreams without an education. Top teams are looking to recruit him. He dreams of playing for his national team, the Ghana Black Stars, and someday becoming a catcher for Chelsea.

You can’t go anywhere in Africa without seeing kids playing the sport. The excitement for the first-ever World Cup in Africa this summer is everywhere. The world’s eyes will be on the continent and it’s a moment for Africa to shine.

The W8 shows that change is possible

Mar 18th, 2010 3:13 PM UTC
By David Cole

Dorothy Ngoma © Oxfam

Dorothy Ngoma is head of the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi and she’s telling leaders to help the world’s poorest people.

Dorothy is a member of the W8, a group of 8 extraordinary women from all 4 corners of the world who are campaigning for health and education for all.

As Dorothy puts it:

“Health and education have been recurrent themes in my life. I feel these issues personally. I’ve seen many women dying due to the weak health system in my country. Poverty is a massive problem in Malawi. 14 million people live in Malawi and 70% live below 1 dollar per day, they struggle to survive. There are only 200 doctors in the whole country. When I told that to a press conference in France a gasp went round the room.

Because of a lack of skilled midwives and doctors 16 women die daily due to problems related to pregnancy and delivery. 22 people die daily due to TB, while TB is a curable disease. Malawi has 1 doctor for 65,000 and 1 nurse for 3,500 people. An impossible task.

People often don’t go to hospital until they have something really serious, simply because they don’t have the money. Sometimes, people don’t even have money to get on the bus to get to hospital.

In Malawi we fight against any sort of diseases: TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, cholera, dysentery, we have the problem of dirty water. It’s a sick community. Nurses are working 16 hours a day, seven days a week. We have to lobby for more nurses and we have to work hard to stop nurses leaving the industry or leaving Malawi, due to the heavy job.”

Along with the other members of the W8, Dorothy is working to spread this message and let others, especially decision makers, know about the issues. Better education and health for all is possible, but only with more resources. More doctors, more nurses and more midwives.

As Dorothy says, “We need to speak up both at the local level and at international level. We need to tell people what’s wrong and how to change it.”

Thanks to Dorothy and the other members of the W8 we know that change is indeed possible.

Global Education summit announced

Mar 4th, 2010 6:38 PM UTC
By Katie Hayes

Great news from London regarding 1GOAL, ONE’s partner for the football World Cup.

South African President Zuma met today with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and announced that South Africa will host a global summit on education during the World Cup this summer.  Aaron Mokoena, South Africa’s football captain and 1GOAL Ambassador, who met with President Zuma said “I am delighted that the Government of South Africa had decided to host a summit for education for all children” and Her Majesty Queen Rania (Co-Founder and Global Co-Chair of 1GOAL) congratulated President Zuma and Prime Minister Brown on “their vision and commitment to make global education the greatest goal of the South Africa World Cup 2010.”

This announcement gives real political momentum to the campaign to ensure all children go to school, which would be an incredible legacy of the World Cup.

For more information on the campaign visit the 1GOAL website