Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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Partnerships Increasing Education and Technology Developments in Mauritania

Technology Developments in Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in North West Africa that sits in the Sahara desert. It has one of the smallest populations in West Africa but it is one of the largest countries. Mauritania’s economy is largely agricultural, with scattered settlements of people throughout the desert. According to the latest official estimates from 2014, 31% of the population lived under the poverty line. The World Bank says income and employment losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced 48,000 people in Mauritania into conditions of extreme poverty. Education and technology developments in Mauritania will help stimulate the economy and alleviate systemic poverty.

Education in Mauritania

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania has tried to increase its standards and practices of education in the country, and following COVID-19, technological advancements came inevitably. In terms of access to education, USAID notes the primary school net enrolment rate as 76.86% in 2019, but for upper secondary schools, this rate stood at just 38.87%. The average Mauritanian is expected to receive just seven years of education from birth to the age of 18. Fortunately, the youth literacy rate stood at 76.49% in 2021, a number that international organizations and the Mauritanian government would like to increase.

The World Bank explains that poor education in Mauritania has a direct adverse impact on the economy and that efforts to improve education are necessary. Education and technology developments in Mauritania could strengthen human capital.

The Support of Grants

In March 2020, UNICEF Mauritania received a grant from the Global Partnership of Education to the value of $70,000 to assist the Ministry of Education in developing a strategy to address the impacts of the pandemic on children’s education. Between 2020 and 2022, the Islamic Development Bank gave Mauritania $3.5 million in grants to strengthen the education sector amid the pandemic.

The grants went toward ensuring the continuation of education through distance learning, for example, through radio and TV broadcasts and digital learning platforms. Funding also went toward establishing “remedial and accelerated learning programs” to address learning losses arising from school closures.

The introduction of digital technology into education systems also formed an imperative part of reforms. The grants also funded awareness campaigns to “address the barriers that stop children from going to school” and give more attention to vulnerable impoverished children. Teachers also received training in psychosocial support, with an emphasis on supporting girls.

Developments in Technology

More than 40% of the people in Mauritania live in rural areas, which are often remote with little access to infrastructure. In 2017, only 21% of Mauritanians utilized the internet, rendering much of the population inactive on the internet. Increasing internet and digital education is a large part of the country’s national development plan going forward.

The High-Level Digital Council (HCN) and the Ministry of Digital Transition, Innovation and Public Sector Modernisation (MNTIMA) look toward “digital transformation” solutions to strengthen “regulation, infrastructure, e-government, digital business, sectoral transformation and human capital.”

The West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (WARCIP) has delivered new programs and launched initiatives as well. WARCIP has put down 1,700 km of fiber optic cable to provide internet connectivity and access in previously inaccessible areas of Mauritania since 2012 when the project began.

These broadband networks are working to lower the cost of communication in Mauritania. WARCIP recognizes Mauritania’s geographical potential to be a center of economic activity and hopes to expand the growth of information and communications technology to spur economic growth and job creation.

Education and technology developments in Mauritania play a large role in economic growth and communications advancement. These areas suffered during COVID-19 but have seen an uptick in funding that must continue in order for the country to thrive.

– Anna Richardson
Photo: Flickr

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Scholarships for Students from War-Torn Countries

Scholarships for Students
According to the United Nations, “100 million individuals have been forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations.” Many of these individuals have lost their chances of obtaining a higher education. In particular, three universities are offering scholarships for students from war-torn countries.

HEC Paris

The HEC Foundation and HEC Paris created “HEC Imagine Fellows” in October 2021 — a scholarship program for students from war-torn countries. The two-year-long program helps students pursue a master’s degree in management. Adrien Nussenbaum, co-founder and joint-CEO of Mirakl and graduate of HEC Paris, funded “HEC Imagine Fellows.” HEC Paris greeted its first enrollment of students at the beginning of the 2022 academic year.

HEC Paris believes that promoting “diversity, intercultural comprehension and tolerance” between its students from different cultural backgrounds will create more peace in the world. For this reason, the scholarship program will choose successful applicants based not only on their academic excellence but also on their interest in intercultural understanding and peace.

During the academic course Business & Peace, students will examine the role that private businesses may play in helping to keep peace and stability in areas that have experienced violence or war. In Business for Peace & Development, applicants will explore how private businesses could collaborate with NGOs in post-conflict areas to “support integrated growth, climate, and biodiversity initiatives,” Bloomberg says.

In Public Policy & Social Responsibility, students will research the problems with child labor in underdeveloped and conflict-torn countries and propose ways to reduce its occurrence. HEC Paris has made it a priority to cover the yearly tuition of approximately 10 students from conflict-ridden countries.

Columbia University

Columbia University established Scholarship for Displaced Students as an attempt to assist foreign students who cannot finish their higher education studies due to conflict or other types of danger in their home countries. As a sign of Columbia’s support, the university will award these students “up to full tuition, housing and living assistance while pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees across all 19 Columbia schools and affiliates,” Columbia Global Centers reports.

Annually, the program will provide up to $6 million in funding to each cohort of around 30 students. Schools, the scholarship program and student organizations at Columbia will offer mentoring and assistance to these refugee students. The scholarship program has already helped 33 students from 19 nations to further their studies in 14 educational institutions. The scholarship has no age limitations but there are eligibility requirements.

University of Manchester

The University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarships came about at the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war, but extends to “any international applicant who has been displaced because of armed conflict or is at serious risk of persecution or violence due to race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion,” its website says. As many as 20 refugee students will receive a fully funded scholarship. The university provided “10 undergraduate and 10 postgraduate-taught” positions in the initial year and covered tuition, living expenses and visas. The estimated annual operating cost of the scheme is £5 million.

People who are currently residing outside of the U.K. and those who have sought asylum in the U.K. are eligible to apply to the university. The program requirements are flexible. Apart from the University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarships, the university also provides other scholarships as a part of its social responsibility agenda. For example, there are Equity and Merit Scholarships for sub-Saharan African students and Undergraduate Access Scholarships for “U.K. applicants who have been in care or estranged,” its website says.

Education should be accessible to everyone who is willing to learn and expand their knowledge and war or persecution should not limit this. For this reason, scholarships for students from war-torn countries are necessary and essential.

– Elizaveta Medvedkina
Photo: Flickr

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3 Groups Working to Improve Education in Africa

Improve Education in Africa
Asante Africa, Street Child and Literacy for Life are three groups working to improve education in Africa by expanding primary access to strong educational programming in African countries. Developments in this field are vital for global growth in the future.

The Importance of Learning

Quality education remains an important factor for economic growth in countries that exist in states of poverty. If younger generations are able to learn key skills in their youth, they will be able to contribute positively to job development, employment and technological advancement.

Concern Worldwide reports on estimates by UNESCO indicating that “if all students in low-income countries had just basic reading skills (nothing else), an estimated 171 million people could escape extreme poverty.” Therefore, improving educational systems is integral to economic growth and development in struggling countries.

Because of this, aid programs that expand upon current educational programs and resources have the ability to end the cycle of poverty in impoverished nations. In Africa specifically, local NGOs working to increase access to quality education are making a difference on a large scale.

3 Groups Working to Improve Education in Africa

  1. Asante Africa. This organization works in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with the hopes to soon expand to Rwanda and goals to use education to positively affect the lives of 1.6 million children and young adults by 2025. It sponsors three main programs for students in these countries. The first, named the Youth Livelihood Program, is focused on teaching the leadership skills necessary for a successful future of entrepreneurship, employment and empowered living. The next program, named Wezesha Vijana, works to improve the education of young girls. This demographic faces specific challenges when it comes to education and Asante Africa works to alleviate some of these struggles by addressing the roots of these issues. It educates girls about their rights, teaches financial literacy, encourages leadership skills and facilitates safe learning environments in schools. The final program, titled the Accelerated Learning Program, focuses on expanding access to technological resources and helps support teachers to further develop their educational knowledge. Each of Asante Africa’s specific programs helps focus on key issues hindering progress in education in order to improve education in Africa.
  2. Street Child. As an organization working to improve education in Africa, Street Child’s “interventions are integrated, coupling instantaneous change for children alongside increasing the capacity of caregivers, communities and schools to support sustainable, long-term change,” its website says. This means that it addresses the problem from both sides, improving education while expanding upon support systems to continue growth. To complete this mission, Street Child builds schools, trains teachers, helps schools increase income and changes the narrative around the importance of improving education. To date, Street Child has helped almost 413,000 children access education while supporting 682 schools by building, revamping and training more than 12,000 teachers. Street Child operates in many countries, focusing on those in Africa but supporting students across the globe. Its practices allow for higher-quality educational systems, which will have significant effects on the minimization of poverty.
  3. Literacy for Life. This nonprofit has been operating in South Africa since 2015. Its main goal is improving early childhood development (ECD) and assisting in preparations for future education. It supports underprivileged schools through the donation of resources and systems to set schools up for success in aiding the development of young students. This work is bolstered with nutritional programs for youth in underprivileged households, allowing more children to have the ability to focus on education rather than food insecurity. In an interview with ITNewsAfrica.com, Eloïs Lack from Literacy for Life explains that “children will be at a greater advantage when they are in Grade 1 if they have had exposure to a pre-writing and numeracy program that helps to develop visual discrimination, gross and fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, body image and muscle memory.” Therefore, early childhood developmental programming is integral to a successful future in the educational system. Literacy for life has placed a focus on expanding this sector and working with ECD schools to expand accessibility, thereby improving educational quality in South Africa.

Looking Forward

The work of these organizations helps to reduce poverty in Africa by improving education to promote future growth. Many similar NGOs, initiatives and nonprofits exist across Africa and the world and their work is changing learning systems for the better.

– Hailey Dooley
Photo: Flickr

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EdTech Companies in Bangladesh

EdTech Companies in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has been heavily relying on coaching centers as after-school education resources. According to the Education Household Survey 2014 by BBS, around one-third of educational costs are spent on coaching centers or private tutoring. In addition to in-person tutoring, EdTech companies in Bangladesh are currently gaining popularity due to their wide range of access and quality learning experiences. With the rise of internet and technology users, EdTech companies are expanding their content and services to meet the student’s needs.

Post-Covid Situation

Back in March 2022, all educational institutions in Bangladesh had to shut down because of a governmental mandate implemented because of the pandemic. As a result, many students and teachers opted for online platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet to conduct regular classes. Additionally, teachers have used online submissions and clouds to store and grade materials.

Ten Minute School

Ten Minute School is a pioneer of EdTech Companies in Bangladesh. Ayman Sadiq launched the company in 2015 as a YouTube channel. Within a few months, it skyrocketed in popularity and turned into the most popular EdTech company in Bangladesh. That channel currently has 2.52 million subscribers. Teaching materials include educational videos, training programs, English language courses and more. The company has a broad targeted audience including students in K-12 and those preparing for university entrance exams, IELTS, GRE Prep, etc.

Technical-Training Companies

In addition to educational lessons, many companies also provide skills training ranging from social media marketing, graphic designing, web designing, software building and more. Some of the technical training and skill-based EdTech companies in Bangladesh include Upskill, BYLCx and CodersTrust. Besides courses in core academic subjects, Upskill also provides corporate training to employees in specific industries. Similarly, BYLCx has training programs in fields such as entrepreneurship, leadership, digital marketing and personal development in hopes of producing more young change-makers in their communities. On the other hand, CodersTrust is more focused on technology, coding classes and training for the digital economy.

According to Digital Mahbub, the Bangladesh EdTech industry can grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% from 2019-2024. However, due to its somewhat new industry, there is not a wide variety of data related to the industry or its statistical benefits. With an increasing number of internet users, more and more students are opting for EdTech companies as a supplemental method of studying. Not only does it create more job opportunities for recent graduates, but it also provides students with a quality education from the comfort of their homes. Moreover, EdTech companies in Bangladesh are more suitable options for low-income students as these classes are sometimes free or cheaper than traditional coaching centers. Bangladesh is set to graduate from its status as a Least Developed Country in 2026 and EdTech companies will continue to play integral roles in improving literacy and educational outcomes among the population.

– Zahin Tasnin
Photo: Flickr

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India’s only Afghan High School educating Refugee Children

 Afghan School
Despite the ban on education for girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, India’s only Afghan educational institution, Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan High School, is providing quality education to the refugee children of Afghanistan. Located in Delhi’s Jangpura Extension, the Afghan high school runs on a rented building with more than 30 teaching and non-teaching staff members, most of which are women.

Challenging the Taliban ban on girls’ education, the Afghanistan Ambassador to India, Farid Mamundzay, said in a tweet, “Young Afghan girls who want to be educated will not be stopped, at least in New Delhi. These girls will one day contribute to a stronger and more prosperous Afghanistan. Women share this planet 50/50 however over the past 15 months harsh and unnecessary restrictions have been put on.”

Sustaining Since 1994

Women’s Federation of World Peace, a women’s nonprofit organization, set up the Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan High School in 1994 for refugee children from Afghanistan living in New Delhi. The then government of Afghanistan, Prime Minister Ashraf Ghani, started funding the school at a request from the center. This educational center expanded to become a primary school in 2008 and then a high school in 2017. The school is a hope for more than 250 students, of which 65% are girls, according to India Narrative.

The medium of instruction comprises three different mediums, namely, Farsi, Pashto and English. The school is culturally rich and provides the students with all necessary extracurricular activities. It has more than 10 clubs that work to enrich the knowledge and intelligence of students with practical skills and experience.

The Taliban Takeover and Pandemic Setback

The Afghan high school struggled with funding when the pandemic hit the nation in 2020 and imposed a country-wide lockdown. The Taliban overtake in Afghanistan affected the high school in Delhi enormously as the newly built government of the Taliban stopped the smooth flow of funds. The school failed to pay rent for the school premises due to which they had to vacate the space and hold classes online. They were out of salaries to pay to the teaching staff, The Indian Express reported.

However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stepped in and helped the school in times of difficult situations. Afghan Ambassador Mamundzay expressed gratitude towards the Ministry of External Affairs on Twitter.

Looking Forward

Currently, the Afghan school holds offline classes in two shifts as the space does not allow all the students to study at the same time. The school successfully conducted its mid-term exam for the academic year 2022-23 in December 2022. The school is also looking for various private and municipal schools which can provide them with 14 to 15 classrooms to hold evening batches.

– Aanchal Mishra
Photo: Pixabay

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Drop Access Brings Sustainable Solutions to Kenya

Solutions to Kenya
Addressing the world’s most pressing needs through sustainable solutions is one of the greatest challenges human beings currently face as a collective species. Drop Access, a Kenyan-based women and youth-led NGO that legally incorporated in 2019, works to spark change in rural and grassroots communities by improving access to renewable energy and educational programs. The co-founder and CEO of Drop Access Norah Magero and her team conceptualize and manufacture many of the organization’s solutions in-house. Here is some information about the sustainable solutions that Drop Access is bringing to Kenya.

Challenges with Medical Access

Across Southeast Kenya, rural areas like Kamboo and Yindilani are positioned far from the nearest town and electricity grid, with poor roads for connection. Without a steady supply of electricity, the health facilities across these areas face limits in the services providable, and as such, many residents struggle to meet their basic medical needs.

Media outlet Nigeria Health Watch reported in late 2022 an instance where a facility could not offer maternity services due to the inability to store oxytocin, a peptide hormone administered during labor, because of the low temperatures the drug requires in storage and the lack of cold storage facilities on the premises.

This inadequacy was extremely significant during the COVID-19 pandemic when immunization efforts fell below average as facilities could not store enough vaccines to administer to the population on demand. According to data from the World Bank, in 2019, Kenya spent 4.59% of its GDP on health services, a significant decline from 6.12%, not even a decade earlier in 2010, perhaps offering a reason why medical facilities across rural areas of the country endure shortages and inadequacies.

The VacciBox

In response to these challenges, Magero, through Drop Access, tested the VacciBox, a solar-powered portable fridge. With solar panels on the lid, one can mount the box on a motorcycle, bike or boat for transport while the panels harness solar power along the journey. The design includes an integrated digital feature, gathering data and tracking the supply and dispensation of the contents stored, ensuring more informed and effective immunization efforts.

Drop Access ran a pilot project with Usungu Dispensary, a fully off-grid health facility in Makueni County. Initially, the health facility ran biweekly vaccine transports to the dispensary and returned the supplies to the county hospital at the end of the day. The VacciBox has enabled the dispensary to store more than 1,000 vaccines onsite, a development associated with an exceptional growth of 45% in immunization rates across the area.

Agricultural Efforts

The remote struggle extends beyond the lack of access to basic health care resources. Initially, Magero and the team modeled the VacciBox in response to farmers’ concerns regarding supply chain issues. The prototype emerged to enable more reliable transport of perishable goods, particularly milk, with the cold storage allowing for longer travel periods without the milk spoiling. Each VacciBox can carry up to 50 liters of product, preventing food waste in crucial areas and ensuring an overall more efficient supply chain system that offers safer delivery and consumption of food.

In August 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a $123.7 million appeal to tackle the food crisis in the greater Horn of Africa. Seven nations in the region, including Kenya, are experiencing food insecurity on an unprecedented scale.

As of June 2022, more than 37 million people are experiencing levels of food insecurity so severe that people are forgoing essential livelihood assets and turning to other crisis-coping strategies to feed their families as malnutrition is prevalent. Low income, high prices as a result of shortages, drought and supply chain issues contribute to these crisis levels of hunger.

Drop Access hosts workshops to develop and enhance agricultural practices across Kenya. Extremely impactful work, targeting what PricewaterhouseCoopers calls the “the backbone of Kenya’s economy,” agriculture makes up 80% of Kenya’s workforce. Through educational programs informing farmers on innovative and sustainable solutions, the aim is to sustainably increase production levels. The organization aims to educate and inform agricultural workers on the technological developments in the sector and how best to integrate these into their practices.

Education

Education initiatives extend beyond agricultural training and innovation. Drop Access aims to provide renewable energy to marginalized and remote communities through hosted training sessions outlining solar-powered systems, where community members can learn how to use readily available and locally sourced materials to build personal solar-powered systems.

Drop Access provides further guidance and technical support to institutions such as schools, health care clinics and community centers to install such systems. The success of the initiatives has seen increased outreach by Drop Access, which now targets individuals and households to help them integrate renewable energy sources into their day-to-day lives. As an organization, Drop Access’ efforts and initiatives are broad, yet all draw lifeblood from a common denominator: sustainability.

The work of Drop Access and Magero represents far more than an NGO offering environmentally conscious solutions to the most pressing problems communities can face. The efforts toward sustainable solutions are a testament to the environmental awareness of the younger generation and their commitment to playing a role in addressing global issues through innovation.

– Bojan Ivancic
Photo: Flickr

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Illiteracy in South Sudan

Illiteracy in South Sudan
Lack of education can contribute to rising poverty rates in struggling countries. In South Sudan, more than 70% of the adult population is illiterate. This puts individuals at a disadvantage when it comes to finding employment. A lack of education among poor communities ultimately creates a cycle of social oppression. It is analyzing this correlation that can demonstrate how to improve education in developing countries.

Poverty and Education

In 2016, more than half of South Sudan’s children were not in school. This then contributes to the high rate of illiteracy in South Sudan. The lack of education present among the citizens of South Sudan then contributes to a higher number of illnesses and poverty. Individuals who do not obtain an education are less likely to seek medical attention until a disease has progressed into a critical condition. When individuals are not aware of preventative care, deadly illnesses such as sexually transmitted diseases can spread quickly, harming already struggling communities.

With a high rate of illiteracy in South Sudan comes an increasing number of individuals living in poverty. In 2021, more than 6 million citizens of South Sudan were in great need of humanitarian assistance. Not being able to read impacts individuals’ knowledge of health and food, therefore contributing to a poor community. The Sudanese depend greatly on agriculture for means of survival, but improper farming tactics can create aversive effects, such as the contamination of water.

The Good News

UNICEF indicates that a child has a 50% higher chance of survival if born to an educated mother. This means that a woman who has been able to obtain an education can care for her child better and ensure they receive an education. The present issue is that illiteracy in South Sudan is higher in women than in men. Fewer than 1% of Sudanese girls obtain an education.

UNICEF, along with Global Partnership for Education (GPE), developed a plan for the year 2022 that would grant $41.7 million in order to decrease the number of children out of school by 15%. This funding enabled reading materials to undergo distribution to schools while also funding training for teachers. Not only this, but GPE built 25 schools, allowing 10,000 students to receive an education.

In this program, GPE enabled a gender-specific strategy that would promote greater gender equality among educated civilians in South Sudan. The goal is to increase the number of girls obtaining an education. Placing a greater amount of students in classrooms could then decrease the number of preventable illnesses. Not only this but establishing fully functioning classrooms would also lead to greater job availabilities.

Illiteracy in South Sudan is detrimental to its community. When individuals are not able to receive an education, it creates a cycle that further places the Sudanese into poverty. Lack of knowledge of nutrition and proper health care physically harms citizens. Infant mortality rates are also higher in those who are born to illiterate parents. Enabling women to receive an education could drastically increase the number of children attending school in the future. Decreasing the illiteracy rate for those in South Sudan would promote a healthier community.

– Micaela Carrillo
Photo: Flickr

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Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education in Ukraine

higher education in Ukraine
The Russian invasion in 2022 has drastically impacted the Ukrainian education system; particularly higher education in Ukraine. Ukrainian universities attracted students from all over the world. There were students from Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and Latin American countries. These universities were popular among foreign students as they offered quality education at lower costs than Western universities. Ukrainian universities offered a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Ukrainian and English fields.

In Ukraine, 83% of young adults between 18 and 24 were enrolled in higher education at the time of the Russian incursion in 2022. Many Ukrainian educational institutions closed down and educational resources and supplies went to support the war effort or the Russian military confiscated them. As a result, higher education in Ukraine faced high disruption.

The number of available learning opportunities and opportunities for students to access high-quality education decreased because of the Russian invasion. Many higher education institutions in Ukraine are closed or destroyed and need more resources and infrastructure. In addition, this further disrupts students’ coursework because of the cancelation and relocation of the courses.

Allies Offer Stop-Gap Measures

Ukraine’s allies who have provided a wide range of assistance in response to the Russian invasion include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Australia and Japan. The European Union has also assisted Ukraine, including humanitarian aid and economic support. The United States has also provided military aid to Ukraine. Additionally, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has set up a loan program and distributed $2.8 billion to help Ukraine recover from the economic damage of the crisis.

Plans for Rebuilding Higher Education in Ukraine

Ukraine continues to prioritize its higher academic institutions as it plans to rebuild investment efforts for when the Russian military incursion is over. Higher education in Ukraine collaborated with European higher education institutions to continue to fund and support student programs, according to the European University Association (EUA) briefing.

International cooperation from universities such as V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, along with initiatives such as the Twinning project Unity Initiative with 79 universities of the United Kingdom, has helped to foster international exchanges and support foreign students and teachers, according to European Associaton for International Education (EAIE). Through remote admission, flexible educational programs and the increasing range of educational programs taught in English, Ukraine’s institutions continue to strive for excellence despite the adversity. Ukraine is working in partnership with these institutions to ensure academic freedom and free speech and promote a safe and secure environment for learning.

Several universities and companies are supporting the Ukrainian government in its efforts to ensure academic freedom and free speech and promote a safe and secure learning environment. The EUA’s partnership with Ukrainian universities set in motion the following measures:

  • “Waiving EUA membership fees for all existing and new members during 2022,”
  • “Encouraging and expediting new membership applications from eligible Ukrainian institutions and organizations,”
  • “Providing access to services and events to non-member Ukrainian universities where appropriate,”
  • “Considering providing financial support for Ukrainian participation in EUA activities.”

More International Support

USAID, HP Inc., Microsoft and the Global Business Coalition for Education have partnered to provide 74,000 laptop devices to internally displaced Ukrainians and Ukrainian refugees in neighboring countries. HP Inc. has donated 5,000 laptops to support education for internally displaced Ukrainians, while Microsoft has donated software for the devices. The donation comes from USAID’s active engagement with the private sector to support Ukraine. Up to 2.8 million children have experienced displacement due to the war and a nationwide shortage of 175,000 laptops and 202,000 tablets. USAID’s Ukraine National Identity will distribute the laptops through Youth (UNITY) program in partnership with SpivDiia, a leading Ukrainian youth organization. While these laptops went to youth scholars, they provide remote learning and employment opportunities for the entire family.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) works with Ukraine and NGOs to implement recovery initiatives. The main focus of ICG’s work with Ukraine in 2022 has been to speed recovery efforts by providing a strategic framework for managing internally displaced persons (IDPs). This includes protecting the rights of Ukrainian citizens. Citizens of Ukraine and therefore, IDPs,  have a right to “pensions, medical care, social security and education, among other things.” They can also receive help finding jobs, locating free or subsidized housing, re-acquiring lost identity documents, reunifying their families and returning home.

Labster and AWS

The Ministry of Education & Science of Ukraine and Labster have partnered to provide free access to Labster’s award-winning virtual science simulations for an entire year to Ukrainian students and educators. This allows educators to integrate Labster into existing science courses and filter the more than 300 virtual lab simulations available by level of education, courses and topics for an efficient learning experience.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is helping millions of displaced students in Ukraine continue their education amid war and displacement through free cloud computing resources, training and other educational initiatives. With more than 3 million refugees fleeing their homes due to conflict, many educational institutions have turned to AWS to re-establish learning opportunities. AWS is offering cloud computing credits to 22 universities to enable them to quickly migrate critical educational resources to the cloud, helping to ensure remote learning can continue uninterrupted.

These initiatives’ future impact on Ukraine’s poverty will likely be significant. By equipping students and educators with the technology, resources and training they need to access quality education, these initiatives will help to bridge the gap between the affluent and the less privileged. This, in turn, could help reduce poverty levels and inequality. In addition, the initiatives could also help to cultivate a highly-skilled workforce that can help to drive economic growth and development. Finally, increased access to quality education can also help improve Ukrainian citizens’ health, and social and economic well-being.

– Jeannine Proctor
Photo: Flickr

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Closing the Education Gap in Uganda

Education Gap in Uganda
In Uganda, there is a clear disparity between the teachings of educational institutions and the demands of the labor market. UNESCO’s partnership with China Funds-in-Trust Phase III: Higher technical education in Africa for a technical and innovative workforce (CFIT III) attempts to alleviate the effects of this education gap in Uganda.

The Education Gap in Uganda

A key goal of childhood education is preparation for one’s future career. When higher education programming does not prepare students for success in a country’s labor market, the disparity is termed an “education gap.” In Uganda, this is extremely prevalent in the agriculture industry. It is therefore necessary for youth to receive more training to prepare them for employment in this sector.

As of 2017, 42.2% of Uganda’s population lived on less than $2.15 a day. If Uganda closes this education gap, poverty levels could decline as a result of increased opportunities for individual success.

The UNESCO-CFIT III Program

In 2019, an agreement between UNESCO and the People’s Republic of China established phase III of CFIT in order to bridge the gap between education and employment. This program covers six countries including Ethiopia, Gabon, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda. The main focus is on institutes of higher education, with the program providing support and funding for enhanced student learning experiences.

Goals of the Program

The UNESCO website states multiple expected outcomes of the program, the most important one being, “Effective utilization of information from labor market analysis, curriculum review, graduate tracer studies by HEIs [higher education institutions] to improve the delivery of technical education.” This means that the problem will be approached from multiple angles, including research on what types of changes will be most beneficial to student growth.

Mbarara University of Sciences and Technology

In Uganda specifically, CFIT has supported the development of the Innovative Bio-organic Farming Techniques (i-SOFT) project at the Mbarara University of Sciences and Technology (MUST). This program contributes to entrepreneurship and skills-focused training for graduate students at the university. Specifically, the project, “focuses on converting biowastes into high-quality sustainable fertilizers to boost agricultural productivity,” according to UNESCO. This technological innovation, coupled with increased training for students, has been able to develop the agricultural industry and allow greater student involvement in a constantly growing field. It has seen widespread results across farms in four different Ugandan districts.

In addition to those specific effects, the i-SOFT program has been able to educate students about important abilities relevant to any type of future career success. These include business skills, marketing, ICT knowledge and more. This has allowed students to explore greater opportunities and create their own businesses.

Outlook

The implementation of UNESCO-CFIT programming in Uganda specifically fosters optimism for the agricultural industry. More importantly, it allows students to gain an understanding of the key skills necessary for future success in the labor force.

UNESCO has stated that “it is hoped that students will promote agro-industrialization in their communities using the skills acquired and develop other innovations.” Using this explanation, implementing UNESCO-CFIT programming in higher education institutions is a strong step toward closing the education gap in Uganda.

– Hailey Dooley
Photo: Flickr

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Improving Education in Rural Mongolia

Education in Rural Mongolia
After the collapse of socialism in the late 80s and early 90s, education for rural Mongolian children suffered due to a lack of financing for the country’s rural schools. Fortunately, changes in government policy and assistance from NGOs over the last 15-20 years have slowly but surely improved education in rural Mongolia.

Poverty Among Mongolian Herders

As of 2021, about 31% of Mongolia’s population lived in rural areas and as much as 40% of the population lives a herding lifestyle. In 2020, the World Bank pegged Mongolia’s rural poverty rate at 31%, with herders accounting for three-fifths of the rural poor.

Rural Education Issues

While basic education in Mongolia (grades 1 through 12) is free under the country’s constitution, attending school can be difficult for rural families.

Herder families struggle because they move around several times a year to find pastures for their herds. As such, many children move into dormitories at boarding schools. During Mongolia’s socialist era, the country was able to establish a well-functioning and convenient boarding school system for rural children, but after the collapse of socialism, authorities neglected rural development, which resulted in poorly maintained boarding schools.

Between 1990 and 1992, “public spending on education as a share of GDP” decreased by close to 50%, many rural schools suffered bankruptcy and many educators abandoned their professions due to lack of payment.

Because of financial neglect, about one-fifth of dormitories do not have proper heating and lack water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities, according to data from 2015. For example, a dorm in Tarialan soum (a part of a province) in Northwest Mongolia did not have a single running toilet, so students had to use a “dirty, cold, bad-smelling” pit latrine outside, with no way to wash their hands with clean water. In 2014, UNICEF established indoor toilets and hygiene facilities in the dormitory.

Another problem with education in Mongolia is that many teachers in rural schools graduate from “low-quality private teacher training institutes,” making them underqualified for teaching.

Rural Mongolians also have low access to early childhood education (ECE) services. While progress has been visible over the last few decades, herder children’s access to ECE services remained low as of 2016. According to a UNICEF fact sheet from 2020, ECE attendance is 1.5 to 2.2 times lower among 2-4-year-olds in rural areas than in urban ones and 19% to 26% lower among children aged 5.

These issues contribute to a gap in education quality between rural and urban schools. Due to high dropouts in the mid-90s, in 2013, the level of literacy among males aged 15-24 stood at 98.4% in urban areas, but dropped to 88.2% in rural areas. The percentage of out-of-school primary school children in 2018 stood at 5% in rural areas compared to 2% in urban areas and children from herder households accounted for around 68% of out-of-school children in 2013/2014.

Improving Facilities

To improve access to education in rural Mongolia, the government built 37 new dormitories across the country between 2014 and 2017 and planned to create an additional 19 between 2018 and 2019. In 2015, Mongolia established specific standards for WASH facilities in schools and dorms to improve conditions.

In addition, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided a grant in 2015 to renovate 12 dormitories in the Govi-Altai, Uvs and Zavkhan aimags (provinces) in western Mongolia, as a part of the Improving School Dormitory Environment for Primary Students in Western Region Project. The renovations included insulating buildings, installing “safe electric systems” and establishing more WASH facilities.

Supporting Teachers

Mongolia’s government has worked since 2006 to enhance financial support for rural teachers. The 2006 and 2016 amendments to the Law on Education give financial support to teachers in rural schools and kindergartens. Furthermore, a “teacher salary reform” in 2007 helped to improve the income inequalities between rural and urban teachers.

Outside of the government, the World Bank created the Rural Education and Development (READ) Project (2007-2013) to improve the standard of education in rural schools. The training of educators and principals formed one of the project’s objectives. A total of 4,144 rural primary educators and 383 school directors received training to improve teaching skills and strategies. The project also established a “local professional development network” with 95 main schools and 178 mentor educators.

Enhancing Access to Early Childhood Education

To provide ECE services for rural Mongolians, Save the Children, a child rights organization operating in Mongolia since 1994, alongside the World Bank and Japan Social Development Fund, implemented the project Improving Primary Education Outcomes for the Most Vulnerable Children in Rural Mongolia.

The project operated from 2012 to 2017 in four aimags (Arkhangai, Uvurkhangai, Dornod and Sukhbaatar). The program enabled the completion of the Home Based School Preparation Program for around 4,000 5-year-old herder children. The project utilized mobile learning kits with educational toys, activity books and guidebooks. The program was so effective that primary school enrollment in the four aimags rose from 72.8% in 2012-2013 to 86% in 2017-2018.

Education in rural Mongolia suffered after the collapse of the socialist educational system, but thanks to government initiatives and NGO projects, more herder children are receiving a quality education.

– James Harrington
Photo: Wikipedia Commons