Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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How Villages in Partnership Relieves Poverty in Malawi

Villages in Partnership is an organization that has assisted Malawi in its fight against poverty. More than 50% of the population in Malawi lived under the national poverty line in 2019, the World Bank notes. Villages in Partnership has contributed by providing electricity, wells to access clean water and many other basic necessities that the people of Malawi lack.

Infrastructure

During the rainy seasons, areas of Malawi easily become flooded, which makes it more difficult for the people of Malawi to travel from one place to another. Bridges allow students to get to school and allow people to access wells for clean water while allowing others to travel to health care centers and access goods and services. Villages of Partnership’s mission is to build more bridges to provide this crucial access to the people of Malawi.

Malawi is known for its lack of electricity. Less than 10% of the population of 18 million is connected to the electrical grid. And, access to electricity stands at just 1% for the 80% of people who live in rural areas.

Electricity is very important to the infrastructure of a country. In 2013, Villages of Partnership provided electricity to the village of Kaupe to power the maize mill. The mill makes flour, which is an important ingredient in the staple dish called nshima. Because of the electricity access, the mill can supply flour in minutes instead of producing it through hours of labor without electricity.

Food Security

Unlike countries like Congo, Malawi does not have rich soil. This forces farmers to depend on successful rainy seasons. However, the climate in Malawi is very unpredictable, and this often leads to food insecurity.

Villages in Partnership has created a solar irrigation technology for the farmers in Malawi. In 2020, the organization added a second site for this technology, which has created a water source for more than 70 farmers and families that are now able to depend on it.

Alongside that, Villages in Partnership also provides improved seed varieties and fertilizers to farmers to increase their crop yields and gives goats and chickens to families in need. The animals provide eggs and meat, which improves the food security of many families in Malawi.

Access to Water

In Malawi, 4 million people lack access to safe water, USAID reports. Along with that, only 6% of the population has the ability to access clean sanitation facilities. Unfortunately, this lack of access to clean water and sanitation can lead to disease and even death.

One of Villages in Partnership’s top priorities is providing accessible and safe water to villages that need it. In Malawi, women and girls are spending their time walking several miles to source clean water. Sometimes, the women source this water from contaminated rivers.

Many villages in Malawi have been hesitant to accept the option of building wells and donating land due to the time-consuming nature of the process. Nevertheless, since 2019, there has been significant progress in efforts to improve water accessibility in the town of Sakata. A total of 23 boreholes and 15 shallow wells have been dug, and many damaged wells have been repaired.

Villages in Partnership takes a proactive approach to addressing water scarcity issues in Malawi. Every year, it organizes the Water Walk, a global event that brings people together to understand the needs of Malawian villages and the significance of clean water. Participants in the Water Walk contribute to various initiatives, including providing solar irrigation, creating employment opportunities, and facilitating access to health care through the Khanda Health Center. The primary focus remains on raising funds to drill wells in Malawian villages.

Education

In 1994, the Malawi government initiated free primary education, providing a valuable opportunity for children to receive education at no cost. However, this move resulted in challenges such as overcrowded classrooms and insufficient supplies, leading to decreased educational quality and poor student performance.

Presently, Malawi faces low literacy rates, with only 65% of the population able to read or write, and limited access to secondary education, with one-third of students attending. For Sakata’s community, the percentage of people who have attended university is as low as one-tenth of 1%, highlighting the education system’s shortcomings.

Nonetheless, education remains a crucial pathway out of poverty. Recognizing this, Villages in Partnership supports 15 community-based childcare centers, acting as preschools to foster the mental, social and physical development of Malawian children.

Additionally, Villages in Partnership has undertaken projects like Chimpeni School, providing education to children who previously had limited access to schools. The organization also undertook the reconstruction of Sakata School after it began to deteriorate in 2016. These efforts aim to improve education opportunities and enhance the prospects of the Malawian community.

Looking Forward

Villages in Partnership is making a significant impact in Malawi by addressing key challenges such as infrastructure, food security, access to water and education. Through building bridges, providing electricity and implementing solar irrigation technology, the organization is enhancing the lives of people in need. By focusing on clean water initiatives and supporting educational opportunities, Villages in Partnership is empowering communities and contributing to the fight against poverty in Malawi.

– Abigail DiCarlo
Photo: Pixabay

Eliminating Child Poverty in Croatia: Successful Efforts

Child Poverty in CroatiaCroatia is located in the southeast of Europe within the Balkan Peninsula and the U.S. recognized its independence in 1992. Child poverty in Croatia has been a significant issue in the country for quite some time and many families felt the negative impacts of the six-year recession that struck in 2008.

Socio-Political Background

The Croatian government worked with the EU, eventually becoming a member in 2013. Since then, the quality of life has shifted for Croatians altogether, and the country has worked hard to promote a way for everyone to grow and succeed equally. The EU has developed plans specifically for children and their caregivers in hopes that no child is denied any opportunities based on social and economic status. The government of Croatia is also prioritizing the alleviation of child poverty through various initiatives.

In 2010, the percentage of Croatians under 18 years old living below the poverty line had reached a record high, according to the World Bank. Since then, the country has put many efforts in place to reduce these numbers. In the years moving forward, Croatians experienced a steady decrease in the percentage of those living under the poverty line.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a slight increase in poverty levels, but the numbers have since reduced substantially. Not only has the country reduced all types of poverty, but the specific attention to children has helped give Croatian children and their families better opportunities. As of 2022, 18.4% of the population of Croatians under the age of 18 faced the risk of poverty and social exclusion.

The European Child Guarantee

Adopted in 2021, The European Child Guarantee aims to ensure every child in Europe has access to the same opportunities in life. It focuses on children who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. This includes free education and health care as well as sufficient housing and healthy nutrition.

The Croatian government has explicitly been working toward decreasing the poverty rates among those under 18 years old. In the Croatian government’s plan, the aim is to address hidden costs within education and provide free meals at school. It is also a goal to provide health care services at home and housing allowances to foster-care families. The Croatian government also hopes to enhance the social mentoring system for caregivers in need. 

Croatia’s Child Guarantee National Action Plan is run by a committee assigned to ensure this plan is being properly implemented. The country encouraged children to participate in this planning process and share their opinions. The well-being of children has been a top priority within the government, which has been a huge factor in decreasing child poverty in Croatia. So far in four countries including Croatia, the program has reached more than 30,000 children and 16,000 caregivers.

EU Strategy on the Rights of a Child

In Europe, children’s rights have been a growing topic of discussion throughout the years. The EU Strategy on the Rights of a Child aims to ensure that children feel that they have rights within their country and don’t experience violence or exclusion. Like the European Child Guarantee, the plan included the input of more than 10,000 children.

Each year, Croatia holds an annual conference to track the successes of the rights of a child. In 2024, this strategy will be evaluated with the expectation that it has provided steady benefits and ensured that all children are being treated fairly, according to National Plan Overview.

Child Benefits

The economy in Croatia has seen its ups and downs during and after the pandemic. The country provided various stimulus packages over the past two years to alleviate pressures on families. It has also worked hard to help individuals obtain steady incomes. The government made loan programs more accessible to those in need and extended many loan repayment deadlines. Additionally, families can apply to receive a stipend for each child they are providing for. The amount awarded can continue every month until the child reaches adulthood.

Looking Ahead

Croatian authorities have made significant efforts to address poverty and prioritize the well-being of youth, particularly by targeting child poverty in Croatia. The implementation of the European Child Guarantee has played a crucial role in providing equal educational opportunities for all children, while also ensuring access to free education and healthcare. Child benefits have offered crucial support to parents in navigating the challenges of the post-pandemic economy. As a result of these government initiatives, child poverty rates in Croatia have shown a steady decline, and there is an expectation that this positive trend will continue in the future.

– Alesandra Cowardin
Photo: Wikimedia

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Using Smartphones to Address Global Illiteracy

Global IlliteracyThe impact of technology in the fight against global poverty is a subject of both positive and negative consequences. Nevertheless, numerous groups are harnessing the power of technology to drive progress toward the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. A prominent illustration is the utilization of smartphones to address global illiteracy. Curious Learning, an organization committed to promoting literacy through smartphones, is making noteworthy advancements in alleviating poverty for future generations.

The Importance of Literacy in Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

Literacy serves as a crucial foundation for every aspect of a child’s life. As defined by UNESCO, literacy encompasses the ability to read, write, and interpret information, enabling children to understand the world around them and become educated individuals. Despite the progress so far, the World Literacy Foundation reports that there are still 750 million illiterate adults worldwide.

The link between global illiteracy and poverty operates in two directions. Poverty hampers children’s access to education and the resources needed to develop reading and writing skills. Challenges such as unaffordable school fees, early labor requirements or living in remote areas far from educational institutions hinder opportunities, particularly for children in rural areas of developing countries, leading to high rates of school absenteeism.

Conversely, the lack of literacy limits economic opportunities and perpetuates the cycle of poverty. UNESCO emphasizes that if all adults completed secondary education, 420 million individuals could escape poverty. Access to education equips individuals with literacy skills that open doors to better employment prospects and higher earnings. According to Curious Learning, each new level of literacy is associated with a 9.7% increase in earnings. The interplay between literacy and poverty creates a vicious cycle that persists across generations unless effectively addressed.

Curious Learning’s Fight Against Global Illiteracy

Curious Learning is at the forefront of efforts against poverty by tackling the issue of global illiteracy. The organization’s mission is to provide children worldwide with the necessary access to learn how to read. What sets Curious Learning apart is its unique approach. The organization localizes free reading apps in 69 languages and distributes them in countries like Nepal, India and Kenya. With more than 75 dedicated apps aimed at developing reading skills and reducing global illiteracy in children, Curious Learning has achieved global outreach.

As of 2021, Curious Learning has extended its reach to every country across the globe, with a specific focus on developing nations. South Asia, West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are regions characterized by alarmingly high illiteracy rates. Therefore, Curious Learning’s interventions are strategically concentrated in countries within these areas of greatest need. For instance, its work began with interventions in Ethiopia in 2011, followed by a World Bank study on literacy apps in Northern Nigeria in 2022. Both countries face significant illiteracy challenges, with rates of 50.9% and 40.4%, respectively, placing them among the top 20 countries with the highest illiteracy rates globally.

In line with technological advancements, digital literacy has been incorporated into the definition of literacy by UNESCO and other organizations. By introducing underserved children to reading through digital apps, Curious Learning addresses both reading skills and technological proficiency simultaneously, equipping children for success in the digital age.

The Apps

All of the apps that Curious Learning localizes and distributes are free to use, and this ensures accessibility. Here are a few of the organization’s apps that are making learning to read fun and engaging:

  • Feed The Monster: This game helps children learn letter names and sounds while collecting cute monsters as pets. It is available in over 50 languages, including Arabic, Ukrainian and Oluganda. The game is distributed in more than 50 languages including Arabic, Ukrainian and Oluganda.
  • Read With Akili- What Do You Like To Do?: Based on the children’s cartoon by the name of “Akili and Me”, this app is a learning program made for children in Africa. Children follow Akili, a 4-year-old from Tanzania and learn to read with three different levels of interactive content.
  • Chimple: Chimple encourages “self-directed early learning”.  The app is designed to take children from zero to basic literacy and numeracy.

The Impact

Curious Learning’s efforts proved successful in fighting illiteracy in developing countries. In a study done in collaboration with The World Bank and Middlesex University, published on August 3, 2022, Curious Learning tested the effectiveness of its apps in Northern Nigeria. Of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria has the most children unenrolled in schools at 10.5 million.

Households received a smartphone complete with the reading apps, Feed the Monster and the Global Digital Library and the researchers followed one child, ages 6 to 9 years old, from each family. The researchers implemented the apps along with aspirational videos as interventions for these children. Results of the interventions showed that children who received the interventions scored 42.5% fewer zeros on letter recognition.

The apps improved children’s literacy skills by 0.46 standard deviations and numeracy skills by 0.63 standard deviations. The intervention accomplished similar outcomes in twelve months as outcomes that took a whole five years of instruction in schools.

Curious Learning is committed to providing accessible and effective interventions to combat global illiteracy. Based on the organization’s statement on 2023 plans and goals, it plans to launch a global literacy league of people in various countries working to distribute literacy apps. It also aims to expand the scale of its programs in 30 countries with the highest numbers of illiteracy.

Smartphones and apps, like those developed by Curious Learning, have become powerful tools for breaking the cycle of global illiteracy and poverty. By providing accessible and engaging interventions, Curious Learning is making a significant impact on the lives of underserved children worldwide.

– Yesenia Aguilera
Photo: Unsplash

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Vocational Education Training in India 

Vocational Education Training in IndiaVocational education training in India is different from formal education in some ways. It is “skill-based,” as it involves learning real-life expertise. This type of training or education prepares individuals for specific skills involving crafts, trade and other practical activities.  Vocational training can qualify as “teaching procedural knowledge” as it teaches technical skills and abilities compared to formal education.

Why is Vocational Education Training Important?

Many skills that individuals need to compete in the modern work industry are technical and vocational abilities. Vocational skills could be especially impactful in impoverished communities, offering a more affordable or cost-efficient path to education. Specifically, individuals do not need to attend college to obtain vocational skills. In fact, vocational training is quite accessible in most local settings. The accessibility and affordability make it especially important, as it could lead to a path of stable income for participants.

As of April 2023, India’s unemployment rate went up to 8.11%, which considering the country’s high population, results in many Indians having no jobs. With vocational education in India, there is a potential to reduce the unemployment rate. Moreover, more Indians could receive not just access to employment, but also skills that could increase their chance of remaining employed.

History of Vocational Education Training in India 

In 1950, India established Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to provide vocational training at full capacity. After this establishment, more than 13,000 ITIs opened across the country. The Standing Committee on Labour noted that around 64% of trainees in ITIs were employed, which is significant as more than 40% of individuals enrolled in ITIs are below the poverty line. This was a significant leap of progress for India’s labor and employment rates.

STRIVE Program

The Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement Operation (STRIVE) Program is a five-year government-aided organization that aims to improve the quality of vocational education training, according to the World Bank. Specifically, STRIVE aims to improve the quality of vocational education training that is provided in ITIs and other apprenticeships in India. The program intends to increase government support, improve teaching methods and expand apprenticeships nationwide. As of 2017, STRIVE has supported 300 ITIs and 100 industrial apprenticeships nationwide.

Impact of Vocational Training on Women

In India, 30% of the population lives in extreme poverty, with women and children being “the weakest members” of Indian society. This evident gender disparity combines old Indian tradition and female access to education. While the bias against women working and gaining education is gradually subsiding, there is still room to make education more accessible for women.

By emphasizing the importance and adequately funding vocational education training, the gender disparity could decrease significantly. Not only would this allow poverty rates to decrease, but it could also provide women with the basic skills they need to make a living. For example, vocational education training in India can teach women the skills to become receptionists, carpenters, cosmetologists, clothesmakers, cooks and other positions that can provide a steady income. 

India’s labor force could experience increased productivity by significantly raising the rate of female employment, which currently stands at only 31%. Shockingly, more than 50 million women in India neither attend school nor participate in the workforce, as reported by the World Bank. Additionally, women constitute less than 9% of the enrollment in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Studies indicate that women are less inclined to pursue training due to concerns about family responsibilities.

Varthana’s Help

Steve Hardgrave and Brajesh Kumar Mishra founded Varthana in 2013. It is a private company that provides financial assistance to students interested in vocational education training in India. It specifically provides aid through loans. The National Skill Development Center (NDSC) partnered with Varthana to lessen the gap between low-income families and enrollment in education. While vocational training is rather accessible and does not require prior education, it can still be costly for many individuals. There are many that avoid vocational training because of financial obligations. With Varthana’s help, vocational education can be even more accessible with supplied funds and support. 

Particularly, Varthana has funded approximately 4,500 private schools, providing education for more than 3 million students. Additionally, Varthana has partnered with more than 500 institutions helping fund 5,000 financially challenged students. Varthana made an inspiring and motivational goal to make education in India accessible to more than 10 million students by 2025.

Looking to the Future

In India, vocational education training holds immense potential to address unemployment and poverty rates, providing individuals with practical skills that can lead to stable employment. Initiatives like the STRIVE program and organizations like Varthana are actively working to improve the quality and accessibility of vocational training across the country, benefiting both men and women. By expanding vocational education opportunities and reducing financial barriers, India can empower its workforce and uplift communities, ultimately fostering economic growth and reducing inequality.

– Samsara Shrivastava
Photo: Unsplash

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How Morocco is Ending Learning Poverty  

Learning Poverty
Within the past decade, the Moroccan government has begun working to improve the nation’s education system. Its goal is to minimize learning poverty by 2030. This looks to be a challenging feat, as Morocco consistently ranks among the worst countries for education.

In 2019, a World Bank study found that 66% of Moroccan 10-year-olds have trouble with simple reading comprehension. This is partially due to ineffective schooling methods. In 10 years of schooling, Moroccan students only complete approximately six years of effective learning. COVID-19 has pushed Morocco’s learning poverty to the edge, with educational progress decreasing to only five years.

Learning poverty leads children into a cycle of intergenerational poverty. Children with poor reading skills are more likely to fall behind in education and eventually drop out. This results in poverty, limited job opportunities and emotional strain.

In 2019, Morocco passed the Education Act to pursue education reforms to address the primary causes of the learning crisis. With the help of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank, Morocco comes a step closer to achieving its goal by 2030.

USAID’s Work with the Moroccan Ministry of Education

USAID is an organization leading “the U.S. Government’s international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help people emerge from humanitarian crises and progress beyond assistance.”

As early as 2015, USAID worked with the Moroccan Ministry of Education (MOE) to incorporate ways to improve reading instruction and language teaching in a national teaching preparation program. Together, the two organizations launched a five-year Higher Education Partnership to improve pre-service training for teachers in hopes of sustaining a large supply of well-qualified, highly-trained educators. The Reading for Success program develops and tests effective methods to increase students’ reading and comprehension skills.

In addition, USAID signed a memorandum of understanding that lays the groundwork to formally recognize Moroccan Sign Language as a real language. This aims to strengthen Deaf education in primary schools in order to make education even more accessible and inclusive.

The World Bank’s Moroccan Education Support Program

In 2019, the World Bank created the Moroccan Education Support Program by loaning $500 million to the nation’s 2015-2030 Educational Sector Vision initiative. The program’s goal is to better support Morocco’s efforts in improving the lives of children.

The first component of the plan is to create an environment for quality pre-primary education. This means providing educators with the necessary training, set standards and incentivizing early childhood education both regionally and provincially. Secondly, the initiative aims to enhance teacher training by upgrading teachers’ training and creating solid career paths to ensure that they are well-equipped to teach children positively. And lastly, it aims to have a better system set up to deal with educational and operational issues by strengthening sector professionals’ capabilities in leadership and management at the financial and human resource levels.

Looking Forward

So far, with the World Bank, the quality of early childhood education has seen some improvements. Also, the support for the primary and secondary teaching workforce has grown and schools have maintained higher operational capacity. In March 2023, the World Bank allocated an additional $250 million to the Program, which is to aid in alleviating pandemic-induced burdens as well as to achieve more ambitious results.

With these programs ongoing, the resulting achievements in the educational system could be of great benefit to Moroccan children and the future of Morocco. Overall, putting an end to learning poverty carries the potential to end the cycle of intergenerational poverty affecting many people in the country.

– Kenzie Nguyen
Photo: Flickr

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Fighting Generational Poverty with Trust Funds for Babies

Trust Funds for Babies
The immensity of the wealth gap in both developing and developed nations is a daunting and cyclical contributor to global poverty. Without an influx of capital, those who have lived in generational poverty lack the fiscal autonomy and security to climb upwards. However, trust funds can make a difference.

Statistics suggest that hard work and luck are not enough to escape generational poverty. In the United States (U.S.), for example, only 4% of poor Americans climb the rungs of the economic ladder toward wealth. The majority of Americans born into the lowest income bracket remain there for life. Economist Darrick Hamilton confidently stated in The Journal that “Wealth is the paramount indicator of economic security and wellbeing.” Accepting this philosophy, the key question becomes: How does a society accumulate and distribute wealth to people born into the throes of poverty? And the answer just might be establishing trust funds for babies.

Looking to Babies to Address Generational Poverty Through Trust Funds

In 2002, the United Kingdom (U.K.) piloted a long-term savings account for minors called the Child Trust Fund (CTF). CTF was a tax-free savings account parents could open for their kids without facing any decrease in government benefits or tax credits. The parents of any child born in the U.K. between 2002 and 2011 received a £250 voucher to launch a CTF — they could then contribute an additional £9,000 per year. Once the child turned 18, they could access the funds in their account for any combination of reinvestment and spending they saw fit.

The government knew this was a small step in the direction of addressing generational poverty — a £250 stipend would not be enough to solve the nation’s fiscal inequity — but the hope was that a tax-free savings account for children would promote the possibility of home ownership, higher education and healthy investment practices for many who never thought such would be attainable.

Beyond the UK: Child Trust Funds in Canada

In Canada, every family is eligible to open a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP): a low-tax, long-term saving account to help guardians save for their child’s future education. RESP funds can go toward any post-secondary education including colleges, trade schools, universities and formal apprenticeship programs.

While Canadians from all income brackets are encouraged to open an RESP for their children, Canada provides direct capital to low-income families’ RESPs. Any Canadian child born into a low-income family after 2004 is eligible for the Canada Learning Bond (CLB). The Canadian government provides an initial payment of $500 in the child’s first year and continues to add $100 each year until the total governmental contribution hits $2,000.

The Canada Learning Bond, much like the U.K.’s CTF, aims to chip away at the generational wealth gaps that prevent low-income youth from actualizing their full intellectual and economic potential.

Extrapolating the Baby Bonds Model to the US

In Connecticut, nearly 15,000 children are born into poverty each year. To help close the state’s wealth gaps and encourage innovation, investment and long-term economic growth, Connecticut recently implemented a Baby Bonds program modeled on the U.K. and Canada’s previous successes.

Any child who is born into a family on Connecticut’s public health insurance — on or after July 1, 2023 — will be automatically enrolled in CT Baby Bonds. The government will contribute up to $3,200 to each child’s trust, and at 18, after completing a financial literacy course, the child can claim their capital. The funds are to be used for home ownership, business investment, education or retirement planning. Despite the program name, CT Baby Bonds, Governor Ned Lamont backed off of the original idea to fund the program using money from investors in exchange for bonds. He worried about debt accumulation. Instead, the state will be funding the program through a deposit of $381 million of state budget surplus — meaning there will be no inflated state debt or increased tax.

The Potential Impacts of CT Baby Bonds

While a leg-up of a few thousand dollars is certainly not the end-all-be-all for leveling the playing field, it is a powerful tool in revolutionizing saving philosophies in low-income communities. “You’re more focused on possibly going to college if you see a pathway, if there’s a fund,” Former Connecticut State Treasurer Shawn Wooden shared. “You’re more focused on one day owning a home, which some people in poverty never aspire to because they don’t think it’s ever achievable.”

Shondell Vann, a mother living in Bridgeport, Connecticut with a two-year-old daughter, sees earnest hope in the Baby Bonds program. “I feel like the program would give her a little bit more of a leg up,” she said of her daughter, Maria, in an interview with The Journal. “If she wanted to have a business just like me, she would be able to fund it with no problem. Just anything she wanted to do with that money to be able to be a little bit more successful than she was or just be a little bit better off than she was, is better than nothing.”

– Elena Unger
Photo: Flickr

Poverty and Higher Education in Iran

Higher Education in IranThe Islamic Republic of Iran is a developing nation that sits along the Persian Gulf in Central Asia. Currently, it has an estimated population of more than 87.5 million, and as of 2019, about 27% of people were living below the international poverty line, according to the World Bank. With that percentage on the rise in recent years due to the devastating impacts of COVID-19, higher education in Iran has suffered significantly. Fortunately, several organizations are working to provide a fair chance at higher education for underserved people.

A Brief History of Higher Education in Iran

The 1979 Islamic Revolution redefined the political structure of Iran by creating the Islamic Republic. As the nation began to desecularize, almost all universities stopped operations until 1983 during the revision of curricula. Simultaneously, post-revolutionary policy emphasized funding for creating rural infrastructure but invested little in ensuring equal access to secondary education and creating job opportunities. Consequently, employment prospects have faced limitations, even for students who completed higher education in Iran.

For instance, the 2016-17 Iranian census reported unemployment rates of 34.6% and 45.7% for college-educated men and women, respectively. Therefore, Iranian young people have increasingly left the country to pursue higher education elsewhere and university enrollment rates within the country have substantially dropped. For example, in 2014-2015, there were 4,811,581 students enrolled at Iranian universities, and this number decreased by more than a million to 3,616,114 students in 2017-2018.

Growing poverty in Iran has only exacerbated the dropping rates of college graduates, with many families unable to afford even basic education for their children. As of 2019, an estimated 7 million Iranian children were “deprived of education” due to poverty. Furthermore, financial difficulties forced about 25% of enrolled students, especially females, to drop out of school.

Particularly in rural communities, a lack of sufficient educational facilities, funding to maintain schools and increasing tuition rates are heightening barriers to secondary education. Simultaneously, low university admission rates, high college graduate unemployment rates and nominal government support for college students are dissuading struggling families from applying for higher education in Iran. Equally, exorbitant international fees make education abroad an impossibility for some 33% of Iranian families who, according to estimates, are now living in extreme poverty.

Improving Accessibility

In light of recent sanctions and other economic shocks, Iran’s GDP growth in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has been modest. While this has limited the government’s ability to provide support for college students, organizations like A More Balanced World (AMBW) have remained committed to providing funding and opportunities for students who cannot access education due to poverty.

With programs in 11 countries around the world, AMBW’s Iranian program funds first, secondary and university-level education for students from struggling families. Its scholarships and sponsorships are having a profound impact on Iran’s youth. For example, AMBW supported Siavosh, a student from Iran’s Hamadan Province, beginning in the eighth grade, making it possible for him to complete his education at an elite school and pursue his dreams as a weightlifter.

Another organization investing in higher education in Iran is Keep Children in School (KCIS), which is working “to break the cycle of poverty by providing financial support for educational needs of underprivileged children.” Focusing specifically on countries including Iran and Afghanistan, KCIS supports primary through university-level education and offers opportunities for donors to provide individual sponsorship for children in need. To date, the organization’s financial assistance has facilitated the education of more than 1,800 young people.

Looking Ahead

Education, especially higher education, can be a gateway out of poverty, allowing disadvantaged young people to gain control over their futures and secure meaningful livelihoods. While there appears to be a need for efforts that focus on creating a more sustainable job market within Iran, organizations like AMBW and KCIS are helping the country’s youth obtain the higher education needed to reshape the future.

– Inaya Lala
Photo: Flickr
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Artificial Intelligence Teaching Robot Improves Education in Vietnam

Artificial Intelligence Teaching Robot
Robotics using artificial intelligence have become increasingly prolific over the past decade. Usually, the programs power the execution of rudimentary tasks such as walking or holding items, and the robots often have sensors that make them aware of their surroundings. Additionally, the actual programming software that developers use for AI robots is a simulation of human intelligence. This allows the robot to process and analyze information and data, as well as “think,” communicate with and respond to humans. AI robots can also accumulate experience through special algorithms which allow them to learn rapidly. Here is some information about Vietnam’s artificial intelligence teaching robot.

Vietnam’s Artificial Intelligence Teaching Robot 

EdTech startup Open Classroom recently developed Vietnam’s first artificial intelligence teaching robot, Tri Nhan. In addition to the typical features and functions of traditional artificial intelligence robots, Tri Nhan stands at 1.8 meters tall and has synthetic human organs such as lungs, a heart, a simulated DNA double-helix structure and “good” and “evil” circuits, making it seem even more human-like. 

Tri Nhan means both “artificial intelligence” and “wise man,” and the world’s first robot, Sophia, meaning wisdom, inspired it.

Tri Nhan is also equipped with five “senses” — vision via cameras in its eyes, hearing via long-range microphones, smell via air quality sensors, touch via temperature and pressure sensors and taste via a meter attached to an anti-toxic device. These artificial “senses” have merged with a Google search engine, allowing the robot to conduct various tasks. 

Additionally, Tri Nhan has also been equipped with an artificial “personality,” which is almost human-like, according to Pham Thanh Nam, the AI expert who developed the robot. Tri Nhan has a certain level of emotional intelligence and even tells jokes. 

How Does This Improve Education? 

Tri Nhan can recognize voices speaking both Vietnamese and English and process natural human conversation, as well as translate sentences from other languages. Currently, Tri Nhan’s main purpose is for teaching assistance. It can answer questions from teachers and students and cater to many different subject areas, as it recognizes a question and then searches for the information online using search engines. This artificial intelligence teaching robot can also solve mathematical equations and read poetry, making it a useful tool in any classroom. Using its high-level programming, Tri Nhan helps to actively teach children, as well as give them assessments and correct their mistakes. It can also help students learn from their mistakes and use the skills they have learned in lessons. Parents can also receive reports and track their children’s grades via an app linked to Tri Nhan. 

This helps both students and teachers in Vietnam significantly, as teachers are often overworked due to the shortage of teaching staff in the country, and students lack a high level of personalized attention from the overworked teachers. The Vietnamese education authority stated in 2022 that Vietnam needed more than 94,700 teachers across all levels of education. Many areas that lack teachers are remote, but even high schools in Ho Chi Minh City are suffering from overcrowding and staff shortages.

Innovations such as artificial intelligence teaching robots have improved the quality of teaching for many students and teachers who have had the opportunity to use them, which is a welcome advantage in less developed countries such as Vietnam. 

Education and Poverty

Lack of education is one of the main factors perpetuating poverty and impeding economic development in many countries. Inadequate education prevents people from acquiring the fundamental skills and knowledge to obtain meaningful employment and financial stability. Higher levels of education can break cycles of poverty and improve people’s standard of living. 

Although there is still a certain amount of technological development required to produce a fully-functional teacher in Tri Nhan, it is highly feasible that an AI-teaching robot such as Tri Nhan could be educating children in the future, and it is clear that the Vietnamese EdTech sector has established a solid foundation in this sphere.

– Molly Wallace
Photo: Flickr

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Higher Education in Yemen

Higher Education in YemenFor the past eight years, the civil war between the Saudi-led military coalition and Houthi rebels has plagued Yemen. More than half of the Yemeni population is below the poverty line, and women are most vulnerable with a 26.1% unemployment rate compared to the 12.3% of men. This ongoing conflict severely affects Yemeni citizens and students. As for higher education, the estimated 20% of Sana’a University students cannot afford to attend class without transportation and books, having to stay home instead.

Effects of War on Higher Education in Yemen

As the war escalates, universities lack funding, rendering attendance unaffordable for potential and current students. Around 100 universities have suffered damage from air strikes and bombings, as of 2018, and military forces are utilizing dozens more. Professors in public universities suffer from a 40% reduction in salary, resulting in a shortage of professors. Students face challenges with displacement and injuries sustained from the war, financial burden from lack of employment, increased living costs, and possible abduction into soldiering. Nevertheless, various organizations have come forward to offer funding and support for Yemeni students, lowering the cost of education and ensuring that future generations can access learning opportunities.

Organizations that Lower the Barriers to Higher Education in Yemen

  1. The Scholar Rescue Fund – The Institute of International Education initiated the Scholar Rescue Fund in 2002. It collaborates with universities worldwide to offer secure academic placements to Yemeni scholars. Universities across Europe, North America, Malaysia and nearby regions accommodate these placements, enabling students to actively engage in their studies using their native language, maintain connections with loved ones and establish relationships with colleagues and peers in Yemen. Since its launch, the Scholar Rescue Fund has supported 1,059 endangered and displaced scholars, providing assistance to 470 universities.                                                                                                                                               
  2. The Hadhramout Foundation – The non-profit foundation actively collaborates with universities globally and offers scholarships for higher education in Yemen. It also conducts language training programs and provides technical and vocational training opportunities, ensuring Yemeni students receive a comprehensive education. The Hadhramout Foundation has more than 1,859 alumni in its alumni club.
  3. Al-Khair Foundation – This Yemeni non-profit organization actively focuses on social development efforts throughout Yemen. The foundation implements development programs that specifically target education, humanitarian response and the improvement of livelihoods. Through these initiatives, the foundation significantly contributes to reducing the cost of education in Yemen. One of its notable endeavors includes funding more than 850 grants for marginalized Yemeni students, enabling them to attend universities and prioritizing inclusivity and equal access to education.
  4. Lavazza Foundation – In 2016, the Lavazza Foundation established the “Scholarships for Education of Young Yemenis” project, aiming to provide 22 scholarships to Yemeni students. The foundation actively strives to eliminate socioeconomic barriers that hinder educational access, empowering deserving students to pursue their academic aspirations. The project ensures an equal distribution of 50% female and 50% male scholars. All students receive material assistance, job search training and access to professional opportunities.
  5. EducationUSA – EducationUSA actively promotes studying in the U.S. by offering opportunities and information about more than 4,000 U.S. universities on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Moreover, Amideast facilitates the EducationUSA Competitive College Club (CCC), a program designed for Yemeni high school students. The CCC assists students in navigating U.S. college applications, securing scholarships, and developing their academic and professional resumes. Notably, the program is free of charge.

Looking Ahead

The organizations mentioned above actively take steps to ease the financial burden on Yemeni students and guarantee access to education during the ongoing conflict. These organizations accomplished this through scholarships, temporary learning programs, academic placements and comprehensive educational initiatives, scoring significant progress in lowering the cost of higher education in Yemen. These efforts empower students, dismantle socioeconomic barriers and contribute to fostering a more educated and resilient Yemeni society.

– Clara Swart
Photo: Flickr

The Biggest Education Crisis in Ethiopia

Education Crisis in EthiopiaEthiopia has recently suffered from a two-year-long civil war that has caused thousands of deaths, millions of people becoming homeless, and countless people facing famine. In November 2022, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reached a peace agreement to declare an end to hostilities. Nevertheless, the civil war has left deep scars on the country, one of which is the impact on the education system.

Now, Ethiopia is facing an unprecedented education crisis. According to a 2022 UNICEF report, the number of out-of-school children in Ethiopia has soared from 3.1 million to 3.6 million in just six months, making it become one of the biggest education crises in the world.

Destroying Schools

The war has resulted in the severe destruction of schools. The United Nations (U.N.) estimates that the war completely or partially destroyed 9,382 schools across Ethiopia, as of August 2022. The state of educational facilities in Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions is even worse, with many schools needing provisions such as furniture to continue operations.

The COVID-19 Outbreak

The global pandemic has produced a significant impact on the education and future prospects of children in Ethiopia. Within the three years since the COVID-19 outbreak, about 2.3 million children could not attend school because the pandemic was causing significant economic losses to the already impoverished country. More than 22,500 teachers in Tigray did not get salaries for up to two years, and this resulted in difficult financial situations for them and their families. Unfortunately, such circumstances make come in the way of how well teachers can focus on educating children and providing them with the support and guidance they need.

Drought

The most severe drought in more than 40 years has affected 24.1 million people in Ethiopia, including 12.6 million children, according to Education Cannot Wait (ECW). In the Somalia area, there are 1 million people who have to leave their homes to find food and water due to drought. The harsh living conditions leave parents unable to make plans about how to send their children to school. According to the U.N., 20 million people in the country need food assistance. The drought has brought about challenging economic and social pressures to the whole country, causing hardships and poor living conditions.

Education Cannot Wait (ECW)

Since 2017, ECW has provided $55 million to assist the education crisis in Ethiopia, along with the Ethiopian government, UNHCR, UNICEF and Save the Children Fund. This education fund is helping Ethiopia build schools by offering school facilities and meals. Moreover, the program also provides psychosocial support to children who suffer psychological setbacks under multiple crises, including war, pandemic and drought. Through the construction of gender clubs, environmental clubs and remedial education, the fund has enabled more than 250,000 vulnerable girls and boys in Ethiopia to receive comprehensive educational support in the past three years.

Since the inception of the program, the enrollment rates in some schools have quadrupled. In addition, the U.N. is continuing its efforts and hopes to boost the response to drought through a new $5 million grant that will provide more extensive aid in Ethiopia and support more people to overcome the natural disaster.

Looking Ahead

ECW, in collaboration with the Ethiopian government and other organizations, has made significant strides in addressing the crisis by providing financial assistance, building schools and offering support to vulnerable children. Enrollment rates have seen remarkable improvement, and the U.N.’s commitment to providing additional aid demonstrates a continued effort to overcome the challenges and ensure access to education for Ethiopia’s children.

ECW promises to persist in its support for the education crisis in Ethiopia and plans to renew the multi-year program in 2023. Currently, the program is calling for significant funding from public and private donors to expand its aid model in a way that enables every child in Ethiopia to have access to quality education.

– Mingjun Hou
Photo: Unsplash