Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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Partnerships Rebuilding Education in South Sudan

Education in South SudanYears of conflict, displacement and climate-related disasters have placed immense pressure on South Sudan’s education system. Millions of children continue to face barriers to learning as schools struggle with overcrowding, damaged infrastructure and a shortage of trained teachers. Despite these challenges, international partnerships are helping rebuild access to education and strengthen the country’s long-term development. 

Organizations such as the Global Partnership for Education and UNICEF are working alongside the government of South Sudan, local communities and humanitarian partners to improve educational opportunities for children affected by the crisis. Through coordinated support, these partnerships are helping create a more resilient and inclusive education system in one of the world’s most fragile contexts.

Expanding Access to Education

Access to education remains a major challenge across South Sudan, particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas. Flooding, displacement and insecurity have forced many schools to close temporarily, while some communities lack functioning classrooms altogether, resulting in 2.8 million children unable to access education as of 2021. According to Global Partnerships for Education, many girls often experience greater barriers to education, including child marriage, which can prevent them from continuing their studies.

To address these barriers, international education partnerships, such as Education Cannot Wait, are supporting the construction and rehabilitation of schools, temporary learning spaces and sanitation facilities. These efforts are helping children return to safe learning environments even during periods of instability. Programs funded through global education partnerships are also helping provide learning materials and expand enrolment opportunities for displaced children and vulnerable families. 

By collaborating directly with local communities, aid organizations such as UNICEF ensure that education support reflects local needs and priorities. Community involvement has become essential to maintaining schools and encouraging attendance in areas heavily impacted by conflict and climate emergencies.

Improving Teaching Quality

Alongside expanding access, improving the quality of education has become a key priority. South Sudan continues to face a severe shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in remote regions. Many educators have limited formal training and often work in difficult conditions with few resources.

In response, several international partnerships are helping strengthen teaching quality by supporting teacher training initiatives, professional development programs and curriculum improvement efforts. Training programs focus on child-centered teaching methods, classroom management and inclusive education practices that better support vulnerable students. These initiatives are also helping teachers respond to the emotional and psychological needs of children affected by violence and displacement. 

In fragile settings, schools often provide more than just education; they can offer stability, protection and a sense of normalcy to children living through crisis. Strengthening the teaching workforce is critical to improving long-term learning outcomes. By investing in teachers, development partners are helping to build a stronger national education system that can better withstand future challenges. 

Supporting Inclusive and Resilient Learning

Partnership-driven education programs are increasingly emphasizing inclusion. Girls, children with disabilities and displaced learners often face the greatest obstacles to education in South Sudan. Social barriers, economic hardship and safety concerns continue to prevent many children from attending school consistently.

Collaborative initiatives are working to create safer and more inclusive learning environments through gender-sensitive policies, school feeding programs and improved water and sanitation facilities. In many communities, these measures help reduce dropout rates and encourage families to keep children in school. Importantly, these partnerships are also aligning humanitarian response efforts with long-term development goals. 

Rather than focusing solely on emergency education support, organizations are investing in sustainable systems that strengthen government capacity and local leadership.

Final Remarks

By working across sectors and alongside community organizations, international partners like UNICEF and Education Cannot Wait are helping South Sudan move beyond short-term crisis response toward lasting education recovery. While significant challenges remain, coordinated support is giving more children the opportunity to learn and helping lay the foundation for a more stable future.

As South Sudan continues to navigate conflict, displacement and climate-related pressures, sustained investment in education will remain essential. Through strong partnerships and locally driven solutions, rebuilding education is becoming an important step toward long-term resilience and development for future generations.

– Annie Hodgkinson

Annie is based in Liverpool, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Higher Education System in Equatorial Guinea

Higher Education System in Equatorial GuineaImproving the higher education system in Equatorial Guinea has become increasingly important as the country works to expand its economy. However, the system still faces challenges such as a shortage of resources and a lack of qualified teachers. According to a BTI Project report, only 12.8% of young people enroll in higher education, limiting long-term career opportunities and slowing workforce development. As demand for skilled workers grows, expanding access to higher education and vocational training remains a priority. 

Historical Development of Higher Education

The higher education system in Equatorial Guinea has undergone significant changes since the country gained independence in 1968. Portugal first colonized the territory between 1472 and 1778 before transferring control to Spain, which ruled the country until independence. 

After its independence, the education system suffered under the rule of Francisco Macías Nguema. Teachers and academics were arrested and some were executed. In comparison, neighboring country Cameroon established the University of Yaoundé shortly after its independence in 1962 and expanded its higher education system throughout the 1970s. Equatorial Guinea, however, did not establish a national university until 1995.

The government passed the General Education Law in 1995 to promote equal access to education. During the same period, the National University of Equatorial Guinea (UNGE) was established and introduced courses in engineering, medicine, social sciences and humanities. Despite these reforms, higher education enrollment remains low. According to the World Bank, in 2024, only 8,151 students were enrolled in higher education institutions.

Improvements and Current Reforms

  1. Digital Expansion: The launch of the Univ Connect Project in early 2026 aims to connect 17 universities and higher education institutions in Africa through a broadband network. This will provide a shared digital platform for teaching and research and is expected to benefit 80,000 students.
  2. Strengthening Regional Integration: As of 2026, regional organizations are promoting mutually recognized qualifications, credit transfers and free movement for higher education students and researchers to improve educational quality and align learning with labor market demands. The initiative includes six CEMAC member states: Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea.
  3. Aligning With the Labor Market: The National Employment Strategy 2024 also intends to expand vocational training and strengthen ties between universities and industries such as agriculture and ecotourism in order to increase employment rates. The aim is for 80% of training to take place within companies to achieve this. In 2025, the prime minister set an objective of 100,000 new jobs in industries to decrease the unemployment rate among 15-to-24-year-olds.

Continuing Challenges in Higher Education

In Equatorial Guinea there is currently one university, UNGE, with campuses in Bata and Malabo. Additionally, there are currently five specialized vocational training institutions. In comparison, neighboring country Cameroon has 11 universities. Although Cameroon’s tertiary enrollment rate remains relatively low at 17%, it still exceeds Equatorial Guinea’s rate of 12.8%.  

Therefore, despite recent reforms, the higher education system in Equatorial Guinea still faces major challenges such as accessibility, funding and vocational preparation. According to a World Bank report, weaknesses in the sector continue to create employment barriers due to a lack of relevant vocational skills. The country has a very young population, 56% of which is under 25, making investment in higher education crucial for the country’s development.

Conclusion

The higher education system in Equatorial Guinea has faced many historical and structural challenges. However, recent reforms show progress in digital infrastructure and workforce preparation. Continued investment in higher education could expand employment opportunities, strengthen workforce development and encourage future generations to pursue higher education.

– Emma Wheeler

Emma is based in Valencia, Spain and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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The Rise of Digital Literacy in Pakistan

Digital literacy in Pakistan Education is a constitutional right of every citizen of Pakistan; however, women’s education faces numerous challenges. Digital literacy is emerging as adult education for women. The female literacy rate is about 52.8%, which is significantly lower than the male literacy rate. Social norms, lack of resources and poverty restrict access to quality education. In recent years, girls’ enrollment in primary schools increased to 64% with 21 million enrollments, while boys’ enrollment is about 25 million. However, dropouts occur at the secondary level due to safety concerns, lack of infrastructure and resources, social barriers and poverty.

Background

Rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are areas with more structural barriers. Around 70% of girls drop out before 10th grade. Families prioritize sons’ education due to poverty. Society considers men the breadwinners, and families consider investment in women’s education as a waste of money. Shortage of female teachers in rural and remote areas further contributes to the low enrollment rate. Women’s enrollment rate in universities and degree-awarding institutions, technical and vocational training is also less than that of men.

For adult women, barriers are more strangling. Structural challenges restrict adult women from reentering “brick and mortar” school. Poverty, domestic responsibility, and cultural mobility restrictions make it impossible for women to physically attend school. However, the rise of digital literacy is serving as a solution to these long-standing challenges. Women use smartphones beyond their communication purpose; smartphones are becoming a means of adult education. Digital Literacy is essential for economic empowerment, bridging the gender gap in education.

Digital Literacy Initiatives

The government funds the digital literacy initiatives, such as Digiskills.pk, TCF, and HEC programs, specifically designed for adults to provide basic training on the basics of computer, AI, freelancing, E-commerce and foreign languages (English, Chinese, German) accessible for free. All these programs contributed to adult women’s education and awareness and also helped them become financially independent. The success of these programs inspired more detailed programs. The educational crisis and gender gap became the reason for starting gender-specific initiatives.  One of the major shifts is the “E-Learn, She Earn” 2026 model.

The 2026 Paradigm: “E-Learn, She Earn”

“E-Learn, She Earn” 2026 model is the cornerstone for digital literacy efforts in Pakistan. The model does not require women to physically attend a vocational center, which makes it easy to access. Women can easily access learning materials and lessons via video modules on platforms like YouTube or dedicated LMS apps. Women can access lessons at any time, which makes it easy to manage learning between household chores. Laptops are not easily available in rural areas, and the curriculum is optimized for smartphones and low-bandwidth areas. Lessons and the offered training are not just theoretical learning, but it focuses on digital skills, including Social Media Marketing, Virtual Assistance and Data Entry to make women financially empowered and combat poverty.

Digital literacy in Pakistan has overcome triple barriers. The first barrier is mobility, where traditional solutions require travel, which safety concerns and cultural norms often discourage. Digital literacy crushes this barrier with access everywhere without the need to travel. Time is the second barrier, which also ends with access 24/7, which allows women to learn at their own convenience. Poverty is a major factor that restricts women’s education. Tuition fees and transportation costs are no longer a problem due to the rise of digital literacy in Pakistan. Even digital literacy is contributing to rapid monetization by making women learn skills and earn.

The Future is Decentralized

Emergence of digital literacy is the primary driver of adult education in Pakistan. It indicates a new beginning where the supremacy of one-size-fits-all school models comes to an end. The success of digital literacy initiatives shows how digital solutions can address educational challenges. “E-Learn, She Earn” further solidifies the foundation of digital literacy in Pakistan by removing the mobility, time and financial obstacles.

– Noor Ul Ain Ameer

Noor is based in Islamabad, Pakistan and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Reducing School Dropout Rates In Nigeria

School DropOut Rates In NigeriaDaramola Toluwalope Oluwaseun, founder of the Menitos Charity Foundation, leads an organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged children complete basic education and pursue vocational opportunities. She notes that school dropout rates are shaped by multiple factors, including poverty, drug abuse, child neglect or abuse, limited access to opportunities and deeply rooted limiting beliefs.

Menitos introduced a feeding program in 2019, and by 2022, more than 7,000 underprivileged pupils had benefited. The organization’s outreach model is intentionally community-rooted. Most beneficiaries are identified through schools or during grassroots engagement events, and are then invited to a center where they receive empowerment materials. This approach ensures support reaches children in environments where need is most visible.

Toluwalope explained that the program equips children with essential educational tools while motivating them to pursue their academic goals. Furthermore, the school lunch intervention further boosts attendance by providing nutritious meals to children who come to school. According to Toluwalope, the foundation aims not only to tackle hunger-related barriers but also to create a supportive environment that nurtures students’ well-being.

Causes of School Dropout Rates in Nigeria

Toluwalope described school dropout rates in Nigeria as rarely a single event but rather a gradual erosion driven by a “poverty of hope.” Economic pressure often pushes children into petty trade or manual labor to support their families. Missing a few classes leads to falling behind, and many withdraw permanently. A lack of guiding figures creates a “ceiling effect,” where education is seen as a luxury rather than a pathway out of poverty.

Poverty acts as the baseline stressor. It manifests as chronic hunger, which directly affects cognitive function and classroom behavior, making it harder for children to learn and stay engaged. Menitos views drug abuse as both a cause and a symptom of school disengagement. Children in neglectful environments are more likely to be exposed to substance use by older peers or guardians, often turning to drugs as a coping mechanism for trauma, instability or boredom.

Educational neglect often appears as what Toluwalope calls “educational abandonment.” Parents overwhelmed by economic hardship may become less involved in their child’s schooling or fail to provide basic supplies. This leaves the child emotionally disconnected from the school system.

The WACANDA Program

To address rising school dropout rates in Nigeria, Toluwalope created the War Against Child Abuse and Drug Abuse (WACANDA) sensitization program. The initiative travels across schools and communities to raise awareness about drug demand reduction, child rights and reporting channels, and provides psychosocial support through volunteer psychologists and counselors.

The program is built on “hyper-local engagement.” Instead of formal lectures, Menitos uses community town halls, street theatre and peer-to-peer workshops to de-stigmatize difficult conversations. This approach brings the issue to the doorstep of communities and transforms passive bystanders into active protectors of children’s rights.

Psychosocial Support Services for At-Risk Children

Menitos’s volunteer psychologists and counselors provide trauma-informed support through three key services:

  • Individual counseling, addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and low self-esteem.
  • Group therapy creates safe spaces for children to process shared community trauma.
  • Crisis intervention, offering immediate emotional stabilization for families in acute distress.

The Back2School Initiative

Menitos has reached more than 2,000 children through its Back2School projects. Launched nearly a decade ago, the annual program provides essential school supplies — including textbooks, bags and uniforms — to reduce dropout rates. In its early years, the program supported more than 200 beneficiaries annually.

The initiative identifies at-risk children through community mapping. Volunteers collaborate with teachers to flag students with high absenteeism or those lacking uniforms and books. Once identified, children receive a Success Kit, which includes supplies, uniforms and a mentor. Parents also sign a Commitment Pact to ensure consistent school attendance. Sustainable funding turns one-off donations into multi-year partnerships, allowing Menitos to support a child from primary school through graduation.

Community Engagement Models

Menitos operates through a multi-stakeholder model. Schools serve as an early-warning system, parents participate in Caregiver Circles where they receive tools to support their children’s education, and Menitos partners with health care nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to address medical needs that may hinder school attendance.

One of the most notable shifts resulting from Menitos’s work is an increase in community reporting. Residents now flag cases of abuse or neglect that previously went unaddressed. This has led to renewed interest in schooling, higher attendance rates and a decline in the normalization of drug use among teenagers.

In one case, a young boy’s father refused to buy him school supplies. After the school contacted Menitos, the team convinced the father to support his son’s return to education, assuring him that supplies and ICT fees would be covered. With the right resources, parents and caregivers become more willing to keep their children in school, reducing both dropout rates and vulnerability to drug abuse.

Challenges and the Path to Broader Access

Toluwalope identifies entrenched silence as one of the biggest challenges. In many underserved communities, drug abuse and domestic issues are viewed as private matters. Breaking through this code of silence requires patience and long-term trust-building rooted in nonjudgmental engagement.

There is also a growing need for vocational integration. For older teenagers who have missed years of schooling, traditional primary education may no longer be suitable. Bridging formal education with technical skills can create pathways to employment and long-term stability.

To maximize impact, Menitos requires mobile counseling units to reach remote areas, digital tracking tools to monitor long-term progress and temporary shelters for children in unsafe environments. Indeed, with adequate resources, Menitos can expand its reach across Nigeria and continue supporting vulnerable children through education, psychosocial care and community engagement.

– Gabriela E Silva

Gabriela is based in A Coruña, Spain and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Improving Access to Education in Bangladesh

Education in BangladeshBangladesh has made significant progress in expanding access to education, especially at the primary level. However, many students still drop out before completing secondary school, with only around 64% continuing beyond primary education. Factors such as child labor, early marriage and limited access to quality education continue to shape these outcomes. 

These challenges affect all students, but they disproportionately impact girls, limiting their long-term economic opportunities.

Access to Education in Bangladesh

Surovi, a nonprofit school in Dhaka, makes education accessible for children who are often excluded from the system, including those living on the streets or growing up without stable family support. Founded in 1979, the organization focuses on reaching vulnerable groups who would otherwise remain out of school.

For many girls, Surovi serves as a critical entry point into education. They face higher risks of early dropout, child marriage and long-term economic dependency, making access to Surovi school especially important. However, access alone is not enough. 

The quality of education remains uneven, as limited resources and a shortage of trained teachers continue to affect how students learn and progress.

The Role of Education in Shaping Opportunities

Education plays a key role in shaping both individual futures and broader economic development, particularly in regions like South Asia, where poverty remains a persistent challenge. According to the World Bank, although Bangladesh has reduced poverty over time, many people still face economic vulnerability, especially in marginalized communities. In this context, education in Bangladesh becomes essential for creating long-term opportunities, particularly for women.

Beyond basic skills, education builds awareness, confidence and independence. More educated societies tend to be more open to new ideas and better equipped to respond to social and economic challenges. For women, this impact is even more significant. Education helps delay early marriage, improves access to employment and allows women to participate more actively in the workforce.

Research by UNESCO shows that expanding access to education can significantly reduce poverty, with studies suggesting that poverty could be cut by more than half if all adults completed secondary education. As Malala Yousafzai emphasizes, education is a powerful tool for change. In this sense, it not only provides knowledge but also creates more capable and economically active individuals who can shape their own futures.

Education and Economic Pathways in Bangladesh

Pathshala South Asian Media Institute creates an atmosphere that makes education an alternative pathway into competitive job markets, particularly within creative industries. For one female student, studying photography became a turning point after a disrupted education journey. She explained that gaining skills and confidence helped her begin building a career, even in a field where income is not immediate and requires personal investment.

A teacher at Pathshala highlighted that these experiences reflect broader structural challenges. Barriers to education remain closely linked to poverty, geographic inequality and unequal access to quality institutions, especially outside major cities. Entering the job market is also highly competitive, with networks and connections often playing a crucial role alongside skills.

However, this dynamic is gradually shifting. More students are using digital platforms, portfolios and professional networks to access opportunities in media, freelancing and small-scale entrepreneurship. According to the teacher, when education is combined with practical skills, it enables students to move from unstable, low-income work to more sustainable livelihoods. While this transition takes time and is not equal for everyone, it shows how education can support long-term economic mobility.

From Education to Economic Empowerment

The experiences of students and educators in Bangladesh show that education is not just about learning but about creating pathways out of poverty, especially for women. As more women gain access to education, they are better positioned to move beyond low-income, unstable work into more secure and independent sources of income. In a situation where economic vulnerability and social expectations continue to shape women’s opportunities, education plays a critical role in shifting this reality. 

Women who gain skills, confidence and professional networks are more likely to enter the workforce, start their own ventures or build sustainable careers over time. While challenges such as unequal access, limited resources and a competitive job market remain, they do not erase the progress being made. Instead, they highlight the need for more inclusive and practical education systems.

Closing Remarks

Ultimately, breaking barriers in Bangladesh is not only about increasing access to education but ensuring that education leads to real economic outcomes. When women in Bangladesh can turn education into income and independence, the impact extends beyond individuals and directly reduces poverty across communities and generations.

Globally, education remains one of the strongest tools to fight poverty. According to UNESCO, around 171 million people could escape extreme poverty if all students left school with basic reading skills. Expanding access to quality education, especially for women, can accelerate this progress and create more equal economic opportunities across generations.

– Elif Oktar

Elif is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project. 

Photo: Pexels

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Community Groups Supporting Indigenous Families in Mexico City

Indigenous Families in Mexico CityMexico City can offer opportunities, but for many families it also brings new pressures. Rent is high, work can be uncertain and basic services are not always easy to access. For Indigenous families, those pressures are often intensified by displacement, exclusion and the strain of trying to preserve community and identity in a city that can be indifferent to both. 

That is why local support matters. In practice, it can mean food, shelter, help staying in school or simply the reassurance that someone is taking a family’s future seriously. Community groups supporting Indigenous families in Mexico City are, at heart, about that kind of practical support and the difference it can make.

The Indigenous Education Support Program

The Indigenous Education Support Program provides lodging and food, promotes cultural identity and supports Indigenous and Afro-Mexican youth as they continue their studies. It is aimed particularly at students who do not have local educational options in their communities. This helps address longer-term issues when poverty is not only about income but also about whether young people can remain in school without being forced to choose between education and survival.

A program like this does more than meet an immediate need; it gives families a better chance of staying stable while helping younger people move forward without losing touch with their cultural identities.

Casa Tochán

Support in Mexico City also comes through shelters and community organizations that help people rebuild and settle after periods of upheaval. Casa Tochán is one such organization that supports people in migration in Mexico City through housing, medical and psychological care, job support and cultural activities. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) describes it as a place that helps people not only survive but begin to recover some sense of ordinary life.

Casa Tochán also provides paralegal advice, community health campaigns and support with local integration issues. Even though the shelter is not exclusively for Indigenous families, its work still speaks to the wider reality of exclusion in the city. Families arriving with few resources often face overlapping pressures related to housing, legal uncertainty, health and work. 

Casa Tochán’s model is useful because it treats those pressures as connected rather than separate. Its works allow families to focus on their own lives rather than becoming caught in the various bureaucratic webs these issues can create when kept separate.

The Impacts of Support 

What stands out about both the Indigenous Education Support Program and Casa Tochán is that neither treats poverty as an abstract issue. They respond to it by asking whether a child can remain in school, whether a family has food and shelter and whether people trying to build a life in Mexico City are met with respect rather than indifference. That may sound simple, but it is not insignificant.

For underrepresented families, consistent, local and humane support can shape the course of daily life. These community groups supporting Indigenous families in Mexico City are not only responding to need, but also reflecting the effort, care and quiet solidarity that help people endure and rebuild. Mexico City remains a difficult place for many families living at the margins.

However, these examples show that practical support is within reach. When organizations invest in education, shelter and everyday dignity, they make it easier for families not just to endure the city but to find some footing within it.

– Elliott Carter

Elliott is based in Mexico City, Mexico and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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School Readiness: Early Childhood Education in Ghana

Education in GhanaInvesting in early childhood education is one of the most effective ways to support long-term development. Research shows that experiences during the early years play a critical role in shaping how children learn, communicate and interact with others, influencing their future health, behavior and economic opportunities. In early learning settings, young children begin to develop basic literacy and numeracy skills while also learning how to engage with peers and participate in structured environments. 

These foundational experiences help children transition more successfully into elementary school. However, access remains unequal, particularly in low-income contexts, where many children miss out on early learning opportunities. Expanding early childhood education in Ghana reflects a broader effort to ensure that more children benefit from a strong start.

Expanding Access Through Free Kindergarten

A central feature of early childhood education in Ghana is the integration of two years of free and compulsory kindergarten into the national basic education system. This policy ensures that children ages 4 to 5 have access to structured early learning before entering primary school, helping them develop foundational skills in literacy, numeracy and social interaction. By making kindergarten part of compulsory education, Ghana recognizes early learning as an essential stage rather than an optional step, strengthening school readiness nationwide.

Recent national efforts continue to build on this foundation by improving coordination across sectors and expanding inclusive services that support young children’s development and well-being.

Ongoing Challenges in Early Childhood Education

Despite strong national policies, early childhood education in Ghana continues to face several challenges that affect both access and quality. Shortages of trained kindergarten teachers remain a concern, along with limited teaching and learning materials in many classrooms. In some areas, infrastructure is inadequate to support young learners and classrooms can be overcrowded. 

There are also gaps in coordination between institutions and limited data at local levels, making it harder to plan effectively. In addition, family and community engagement is not always consistent and children in rural or underserved areas are less likely to benefit fully from early learning opportunities.

Strengthening Quality Through Teacher Support

Improving the quality of early childhood education in Ghana has become a key priority alongside expanding access. National and international partners support teacher training initiatives to improve classroom practices and learning outcomes. For example, Sabre Education works with kindergarten teachers in Ghana to provide training and ongoing support in delivering the national curriculum through structured, play-based learning.

This approach helps teachers use guided activities and classroom materials to support early literacy and numeracy development. These efforts show how targeted teacher support can strengthen daily learning experiences and improve school readiness.

Building a Strong Foundation for the Future

The progress of early childhood development in Ghana shows how sustained policy commitment and targeted support can improve school readiness and long-term outcomes. By making kindergarten free and compulsory and investing in teacher training and system coordination, Ghana is strengthening the foundation of its education system. While challenges remain, continued efforts to expand access and improve quality can help ensure that more children enter elementary school prepared to learn and succeed.

– Isil Ertas Senturk

Isil is based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Countering Educational Poverty for Dalits in India

Countering Educational Poverty for Dalits in IndiaEducational poverty for Dalits in India is a significant issue. With a caste system and ongoing caste discrimination against Dalits, the lowest castes in India’s social hierarchy, the country has the largest population of illiterate adults in the world at 287 million or 37% of the global total.

If illiteracy is considered an indicator of exclusion from education, then Dalits bear a disproportionate share of this burden, with 62% of Dalits illiterate, indicating they have likely not completed primary school. Informal data suggests that more than 60% of children who drop out of school are Dalit children.

Caste discrimination aligns with gender discrimination to fuel illiteracy. The literacy rate of female Dalits in Bihar was 38.5% in 2011. Despite widely recognizing education as the most effective pathway out of poverty, Dalit children in India continue to face systematic exclusion. 

While the caste system has been abolished in law, discrimination and prejudice against Dalits persist throughout India, including in education. Dalit families face such extreme poverty and unemployment that children are sometimes sold into bonded labor so that families can eat, preventing them from attending school. Many Dalit children who do attend school are malnourished.

In schools, Dalit children are often bullied and discriminated against. In Bihar, where there is a legal obligation to include children from all castes, schools are often abandoned or barely functioning. Dalit children who do attend are treated with cruelty or neglect. Practices of discrimination include being forced to sit at the back of the class and being prevented from touching or interacting with classmates from other castes. Accounts of verbal and physical abuse from both teachers and classmates are well-documented.

The dropout rate for girls is exceptionally high. Children already vulnerable due to caste prejudice face even greater danger, perpetuating a cycle of poverty that has remained unchallenged for generations.

Countering Educational Poverty for Dalits

Education is key to increasing prosperity, security and opportunity in any country. If the Dalit community faces exclusion from learning, the country cannot advance as a whole. Steps have been taken by several developmental bodies, including the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation and other international bodies.

Numerous charities also aim to educate Dalits in India and achieve educational equality. Guru Ravidas inspired one prominent charitable movement. He was born into a Dalit family in 14th-century India. According to Chaman Lal Madahar, General Secretary of the Sri Guru Ravidass International Organization and Assistant General Secretary of the Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, Newham, London, Shri Guru Ravidass Temples in England are part of a broader movement to support Dalit education across Indian states through financial contributions.

Madahar said these organizations help Dalits in Ravidassia communities with financial support directed to education organizations established in Indian states such as Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. Funds are transferred by bank or delivered in person, with recipients required to show proper identification. He estimated that the scale of aid from a U.K.-registered charity in this network would be approximately 5% to 8% of the organization’s total resources. Two registered charities confirmed by Madahar provide financial support to Dalit communities for both education and health needs, such as hospitals and schools.

Madahar said the long-term aim is to continue support for education and health for Dalits, while acknowledging that ensuring funds reach the right institutions remains a challenge.

Looking Ahead

There are encouraging signs that efforts to counter educational poverty for Dalits are producing results over time. The Ministry of Education of India’s All India Survey on Higher Education for 2021 to 2022, the most recent available data, notes that of the 43.3 million students enrolled, 15.3% belong to the Scheduled Castes.

Official census data from 2011 suggested that 16.6% of India’s population were Scheduled Castes.

Where Dalits have been given access to education throughout their student lives, they are roughly proportionate in the student body, though there is still work to achieve full representation. These figures contrast with the situation in the 1980s and 1990s, when prejudice meant Dalits did not enjoy proportional representation in higher education. Investment and development work for Dalits appears to be slowly translating into greater higher education participation, with the potential for greater social mobility and career opportunities over time.

– Suneel Mehmi

Suneel is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Improving WASH in South African Schools

WASH in South African Schools South Africa is a country where access to clean water and sanitation is not readily available to all, and this directly impacts education. Around 462 million students globally attend schools without access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

When sanitation is not safely managed, it can contaminate soil, food and water sources, spreading disease and causing death in extreme cases. South Africa’s government is taking steps to improve WASH for its next generation.

The Impact of Poor WASH on Education

Improving education has remained a major challenge for the South African government, and this is directly linked to the lack of WASH services in schools. The problem is especially prevalent in underprivileged, water-scarce areas, where students leave school without completing their education due to the inaccessibility of water and toilets within schools.

Even with South Africa investing in schools and policy reforms, WASH access differs depending on socioeconomic status and community. South Africa’s informal settlements, where citizens face limited access to housing, education and job opportunities, are often the most affected.

This disparity causes students in lower-income communities to have higher exposure to waterborne diseases, making them unable to focus properly due to dehydration, lack of privacy, illness and poor sanitation. This limits classroom time, stunting cognitive development and reducing attendance rates.

A New Sanitation Solution

South Africa has looked to other countries for help in improving WASH in its schools. A South African delegation attended the 2018 Reinvented Toilet Expo in Beijing, where a new sanitation system was showcased. The system purifies solid waste and urine, removes all pathogens and recycles the output as flushable water — a solution South Africa was ready to implement.

At the event, South Africa partnered with Enviro Loo to adapt the system for local schools. The system was installed in 2020, and Enviro Loo has since continued to install it in South African schools and informal settlements, reaching more than 41 locations with more being built.

Enviro Loo is also part of the South African Sanitation Enterprise Programme (SASTEP), a government initiative that organizes sanitation solutions and tracks new systems and technologies to increase WASH access in South African schools.

Measurable Results

The effects of the new system have been immediate. Schools now have bathrooms located in hallways next to classrooms, rather than in secluded areas.

  • Absenteeism has dropped by 80% since installation.
  • Students from informal settlements are attending class with confidence, knowing they have access to clean toilets and proper sanitation.
  • Students are arriving at school earlier and remaining in class for the full school day, improving educational outcomes.

Looking Ahead

South Africa is continuing to expand WASH access for its next generation. Indeed, with its continued partnership with Enviro Loo and the Gates Foundation, students are better able to focus on their education, and the program offers a model for addressing sanitation-linked barriers to learning in other developing countries.

– Kianna Phosouvanh-Sythong

Kianna is based in Upper Darby, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Child Poverty in Panama Through One Woman’s Story

Child Poverty in PanamaPeople often use percentages to measure child poverty in Panama. However, it also shows up in the choices families make regarding school, work and survival. The Borgen Project spoke with a woman in her late 70s from Colón, Panama, who asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons. 

She remembered how her childhood was shaped by church, school and carnival traditions, as well as by financial difficulties and limited opportunities. Her story is an example of a broader problem across this Central American country. A report from the World Bank and UNICEF in 2026 stated that 34.5% of children and teens in Panama live in monetary poverty, with 16% living in extreme poverty.

Employment Shaped Daily Life

The interviewee reminisced that, while daily life in Colón felt close-knit and joyful growing up, finding steady work was difficult. She discussed living in an economy where jobs paid very little. She remembered that many families depended on better wages from employment in the Canal Zone.

In her account, unemployment affected every aspect of people’s lives. Current research supports this view. According to the World Bank and UNICEF, households with children living in poverty are more likely to be led by adults with limited education and participation in the labor market, making it harder for these families to move toward financial stability.

When Poverty Interrupts Education

The woman said her family struggled to keep paying for private school and she eventually moved to a lower-cost government school. This shift shows that financial hardship can narrow a child’s opportunities early in life. Reflecting on that reality, she told The Borgen Project, “If you don’t pay, you can’t go to school.”

UNICEF says preschool and secondary education services in Panama remain hard to access in rural, peri-urban and Indigenous communities and around 30% of children still lack access to preschool education. UNICEF also reports that girls in Indigenous areas face a greater risk of educational exclusion than children in other parts of the country. When a family’s income is unstable, school becomes one more cost that is difficult to sustain.

The Burden Falls Unevenly Across Panama

Although the interview centers on life in Colón, a city with a significant Afro-descendant population, today’s data shows that child poverty in Panama is especially severe in rural and Indigenous territories. The World Bank-UNICEF report says 83% of children in Indigenous comarcas (regions) live in poverty, while 55% live in extreme poverty. In the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca, child poverty exceeds 90%.

UNESCO likewise reports that children and youth in both remote rural and Indigenous areas face lower participation rates and weaker learning outcomes compared to other students in Panama. These extreme disparities show that child poverty in Panama does not affect everyone evenly across the country. It is highly concentrated in places where families have less access to services, infrastructure and formal employment.

Cash Transfers Offer One Active Response

One existing response is Red de Oportunidades (Opportunities Network), Panama’s conditional cash transfer program. The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) describes it as a national program that supports households living in extreme poverty. The program places special attention on those living in rural and Indigenous areas. 

It is designed to help impoverished mothers with children obtain sufficient schooling and health follow-ups. Programs like this are important because they ease immediate pressure on families while helping children stay connected to education and basic services. For households facing precarious financial situations, this support prevents temporary hardship from becoming further exclusion.

Early Childhood Support Could Make a Long-Term Difference

Panama is also placing more attention on early childhood. A 2024 report from the Panama Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) states that three in 10 children in Panama live in multidimensional poverty. That figure rises to nine in 10 in the comarcas. The same report notes that most early childhood centers are concentrated in urban areas and estimates that only 3% of children under 3 have access to them.

In response, MIDES says the Contigo Creciendo model is being tested in 13 pilot communities in Panamá Oeste and the Emberá-Wounaan comarca, with UNICEF’s support. MIDES, UNICEF and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) also presented three caregiving guides in 2024 for children from birth to 47 months, designed for low-cost use in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities. These are the kinds of interventions that can help families before poverty causes even greater damage to children’s development.

The interviewee said that access to better employment and housing would have made a significant difference for families like hers. As she put it, “Without money, you can’t do anything.” Her story shows how survival often depended on persistence, family sacrifice and adaptation, not on actual security.

Current data suggests that many Panamanian children still face those same structural barriers today, especially in more impoverished rural and Indigenous areas. However, Panama has effective tools to reduce child poverty, including cash transfer programs, early childhood initiatives and more targeted support for socially isolated communities. If these efforts continue to expand where the need is greatest, the next generation may face fewer of the limits that shaped her childhood.

– Ashirah Newton 

Ashirah is based in Brooklyn, NY, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

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