Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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Vocational Education Training Centers in Iran

Vocational Education Training In IranVocational education training centers in Iran are giving young people a direct path from the classroom to the job market. These centers teach trades such as fashion design IT and construction, connecting graduates to industries that are actively hiring. The need is urgent: young people are increasingly being pushed to the margins of unemployment, with youth unemployment in Iran among young people ages 15-24 reaching 21.9%, according to the World Bank.

The Skills Gap 

Iran has invested heavily in general education over recent decades, literacy among young men and women now sits at 99%. Vocation training, however, has not kept pace with the same progress. Many VETCs still rely on outdated equipment and teaching methods, weak links to industry are leaving graduates without a clear path to employment.

This mismatch hits young women and low income youth the hardest. Even though women make up nearly 60% of Iran’s university students, only about 14% participate in the labor force. Indicating steep barriers when women try to translate education into paid work. Economic strain compounds the problem: currency swings, internet distributions and regional tensions have all weakened business confidence and slowed hiring over the past year, and employers increasingly favor experienced workers over new graduates.

The stakes go beyond unemployment. According to the World Bank, the share of Iranians living below the upper-middle-income poverty line was projected to rise from 33.2% in 2024 to 35.4% in 2025, with a further increase to 38.8% expected in 2026, driven by economic contraction and high inflation. This means that a growing share of families, many with young people entering the job market, are struggling to meet basic needs. For young people without vocational skills, this makes the transition into stable paid work harder.

A New Partnership 

A joint project between Iran and international partners is now working to minimize this gap. Since 2023, Iran’s Instructor Training Center (ITC) in Karaj, which has trained instructors for the country’s Technical and Vocational Training Organization (TVTO) since 1974, has partnered with UNESCO and South Korea’s international development agency, on the ‘Innovating Iran’s Instructor Training Center.’

The project, which runs through 2028, aims to modernize training centers curricula and facilities so that instructors are able to teach skills that accommodate a modern labor market rather than decades-old industry standards. The program includes training across seven different sectors including agriculture, construction, fashion design and sewing. The initiative also aims to build inclusion measures for women and underprivileged youth directly into its design. The results so far reach beyond the classroom: the project directly trains 35 master trainers, 2,500 trainees and about 250 instructors. Its updated methods reach 15,000 TVTO personnel and more than 1 million trainees across Iran’s wider vocational system each year.

Formal Employment 

Vocational education training centers in Iran do more than fill classroom seats; they change how young Iranians enter the workforce. Research from the Center of Economic policy shows that after Iran faced sweeping international sanctions in 2012, workers in the most exposed industries shifted sharply toward informal employment, which typically leads to lower pay and no access to social protections. Proving that vocational training can help offset this shift, by giving workers skills that transfer directly to formal registered jobs. For a country where economic shocks keep pushing workers into the informal sectors, expanding vocational training is not just an education policy; it’s a buffer against long term economic instability.

Looking Ahead

Vocational education training centers in Iran cannot fix every barrier facing the country’s young job seekers, but they show a workable model for closing the gap between education and employment. The ITC innovation project demonstrates that modernized training paired with real support produces measurable results. As Iran’s youth unemployment crisis deepens, continued investment in Education Training Centers in Iran from both the government and international partners offers one of the clearest paths towards a more resilient economy and a more hopeful future. 

– Alana Breslin

Alana is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Solar Power and Education in Rwanda

Rwandan landscape with solar panels installed on a rural building's roof. Education in rwandaOne of the most densely populated countries in Africa, Rwanda is home to nearly 5.8 million children under the age of 18. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), nearly 98% of children attend primary education, representing a drastic growth in education rates for the developing nation. Rwanda’s university rates soar with nearly 136,000 students pursuing higher education, drastically improving their rates since 2000.

Education is an imperative method to alleviate poverty. Providing students with knowledge to enter the workforce, Rwanda has expanded its school system to rural communities over the last two decades. A major reason behind this growth is the expansive usage of solar power in Rwanda to empower schools. Partnering with the company Ignite Power, the nation’s work helps millions access education. Teaching needed digital literacy, basic reading and math, this initiative alleviates poverty through strategic growth in the classrooms. This partnership helps Rwandan children grow and learn through the use of solar power.

Using Solar Power in Rwanda

Rwanda’s educational enrollment rates are at a historic high. Yet, this was not always the case. Tackling low youth development initiatives, the Rwandan government partners with Ignite Power to bring clean energy to every corner of the nation. Ignite Power is a leading solar company operating in Africa, helping other countries brighten homes and classrooms. The organization has already connected more than 2 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa to clean energy since 2014.

The terrain and lifestyle of Rwandan people make traditional electricity grids impractical. A total of 83% of families live in rural communities and lack existing infrastructure that could illuminate classrooms. This detailed expansion aims to solar-electrify 955 off-grid, rural schools, ensuring equal opportunity for the majority of impoverished students. Solar power bypasses infrastructure delays and high costs. Ignite Power utilizes solar kits to provide immediate and affordable solutions. These sustainable systems bring reliable electricity directly to rural classrooms, ushering in new modern learning.

Expanding Education in Rwanda

The new use of solar power in Rwanda elevates the abilities of rural education. By brightening classrooms, students thrive through centralized community locations in regional villages. This nationwide initiative helps nearly 400,000 students by providing them with access to modern digital literacy. Schools teach high-demand skills. Focusing on technology and daily business skills, Rwanda focuses its education priorities on applicable skills for a sustainable life.

Reliable solar power revamps education. Schools operate computers and thrive upon digital literacy programs. These programs are expected to rise from 41.1% to 65% by 2029. Ignite Power is not the only company helping to illuminate classrooms. International organizations like Little Sun and local partners like Safer Rwanda also provide solar chargers and tools, successfully reaching over 35,000 children and 800 teachers in Rwandan schools. Teachers now stay connected and can download ebooks to help increase literacy rates among children.

Connection Between Poverty and Education

Every solar panel helps bridge the opportunity gap. Each one fosters Rwanda’s emergence into the global economy. Rural students now thrive alongside their urban peers. With clean and sustainable energy, rural schools build strong connections through digital access. Solar power empowers these communities economically, teaching students to learn competitive techniques to lead the modern workforce. Furthermore, providing universal power and internet access through solar satellite terminals allows rural institutions to eliminate the digital divide, allowing impoverished students to study on an equal playing field. According to the World Bank, each additional year of schooling increases individual hourly earnings by an average of 12.4%, a finding echoed by research on solar electrification’s classroom impact.

Alleviating Poverty

Solar power in Rwanda is paving the way for a stronger education system. The benefits of renewable energy shine far beyond the final school bell. With Ignite Power’s solar power lamps, millions of new Rwandan students gain study materials and a bright environment in their homes. With millions of cumulative study hours, these students excel in their lessons. Ignite Power’s solar lamps and other local initiatives increase evening study hours for children by 28%, ultimately reducing dropout rates and improving grades. Solar energy fosters higher retention rates, better digital understanding and increases academic success. By bringing sunlight to schools across the nation, students shine the brightest and communities build long-term hope. Providing a strong path toward education through solar power, Rwandans uplift their economy and slowly break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.

– Maya Tung

Maya is based in Summit, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Vocational Education in Sri Lanka

Vocational Education in Sri LankaBetween 1983 and 2024, devastation after devastation hit Sri Lanka, disrupting the economy and sky-rocketing the unemployment and poverty rates. During the height of the Sri Lankan Civil War between 1983 and 2009, upwards of 36% of youth, ages 18 to 24, were unemployed and about 23.4% of the population lived on $3 per day. Less than a decade after the war, ISIS bombed the country in 2019, drying up economic boosts tied to tourism and sinking the country into an economic crisis lasting for five years. Recently, the global pandemic and the U.S. and Iran war raised fuel prices, national unemployment and poverty rates remain high. However, both have been on a steady decline, partly due to the vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka, otherwise known as VETs.

Context of Northeast Sri Lanka

While tension between the Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic groups seems to originate out of cultural disputes, British imperialism certainly provoked it. Experts suggest that the Sinhalese community felt threatened due to the Tamil group’s prosperity growth, which was partly a response to British favoritism. Following imperial rule, the Sinhalese slowly gained power in government, gradually passing laws effectively disenfranchising Tamil people. The Sinhala Only Act, for instance, made Sinhala the only official language of Sri Lanka and created barriers for Tamil people seeking employment or roles within the government.

Discriminatory practices resulted in a proposition for Tamil Eelam, a separate state for Tamils. By the 1980s, Tamils lived almost entirely separate from Sinhalese, occupying the north and east while most Sinhalese lived in southern, western and central Sri Lanka. Following riots targeting Tamils in July 1983, now known as Black July, the Sri Lankan Civil War began. It devastated the country and its economy, lasting until 2009, when the Sri Lankan government announced that it killed the leader of Tamil Eelam.

The end of the war was certainly not the end of discrimination against Tamil people. Sinhalese culture has removed Tamil culture in areas of predominantly Tamil ethnicity, replacing monuments, road signs, street and village names and places of worship. According to a report by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the northeast of Sri Lanka, predominantly Tamil, is multi-dimensionally poor. Large tracts of privately owned land are under military occupation, and the World Bank has noted that 500,000 people lost their jobs due to the economic crisis between 2019 and 2024.

What Are VETs?

Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka, specific types of programs focused on technical skills for individual jobs, are actively working to reduce unemployment rates. These programs differ from typical education in a number of ways, the key one being prioritization of hands-on experiences of learned skills. Implementation of these programs has been linked with economic growth, as it supports both a skilled workforce in the technical industry and enhanced employability for graduates.

The Impact of Vocational Education Training in Sri Lanka

Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka have existed since 1893 with the formation of the Government Technical School, but following the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka Act No. 12 of 1995, several new programs were implemented, designed to increase employability. One such program is iLEAD, or the Initiative for Livelihood Education Development, which is part of Action Education. Founded in 2006, iLEAD has since trained more than 12,000 disadvantaged students and built 10 centers across the country, with five centered in northeast districts. Poverty rates have remained high in northeast Sri Lanka, where many still suffer the effects of the civil war, facing marginalization, unemployment and violence. Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka like programs offered by Action Education have helped those affected receive certification in IT, sales and English, allowing students to obtain nationally and internationally recognized degrees and find employment.

Hope for the Economy of the Future

Focused on bridging the gap between the unemployed and access to education, programs like Action Education are slowly working to reduce poverty rates nationally. Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka are still limited, and many don’t have proper accreditation, but others are working to increase confidence in young people, teaching them necessary competencies to perform skilled labor. Combating generational poverty that’s the result of a war, a global pandemic and an economic crisis takes time, but these programs are making a difference.

– Madalyn Youngbauer

Madalyn is based in Blaine, MN, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Access to Higher Education in Ecuador Trends Upwards

Higher Education in EcuadorEcuador is an environmentally diverse and historically rich country in northwestern South America. Ecuador hosts the magnificent Andes Mountains and the Indigenous cultures that call them home, the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Galapagos Islands, where English naturalist Charles Darwin shaped his theory of natural evolution and the dense rainforests of the Amazon. Yet, despite its cultural and environmental richness, many face roadblocks to higher education in Ecuador. 

Poverty and Access to Higher Education in Ecuador

About 21.4% of the population of Ecuador lives below the poverty line. Poverty in Ecuador is higher in rural areas, 46% of Ecuadorians living in rural areas and Indigenous communities live in poverty. Those in poverty in rural and Indigenous communities face unreliable access to water and electricity, limited infrastructure, insufficient healthcare and education and poor sanitation. Young adults in poverty in Ecuador sometimes turn to joining organized crime groups or migration as there are limited options. 

Students pursuing higher education in Ecuador from disadvantaged groups (women, ethnic minorities such as Indigenous peoples from the Pacific coast region and disabled people) are less likely to have access to the best public universities. Among black and Indigenous populations, completed years of education are three to four years lower than the national average and the drop out rates for higher education among these communities are high. 

Poverty is a huge factor in student success and a significant cause in lower quality of education for students pursuing higher education in Ecuador. It affects factors in student’s lives such as their health and wellbeing, literacy, language development, access to physical resources and mobility. Preparation for higher education starts in secondary school, yet a lot of students in Ecuador have to worry about other things besides preparing themselves for higher education.

According to a study that Magali Ramos Jarrin PhD did at the University of Cambridge, “Secondary school conditions are a key element to accessing higher education. Infrastructure, teacher knowledge and student outcomes can hinder or enhance opportunities for students seeking a place at a public university.” 

Though there are still challenges, things are starting to look better for access to higher education for Ecuadorian students. 

Government Efforts

In 2010, President Rafael Correa pushed for education to be a right in Ecuador. Between 2012 and 2014, President Correa’s government closed 14 low quality private universities and replaced them with four new public universities, improving access to higher education for more students.

The Ecuadorian government increased public investment into higher education during the 2010s, making it the country with the second largest increase in higher education funding in the world. Investment into higher education was increased to 1.86% of the national GDP. These investments created scholarships, financial programs and made it so that Ecuadorian colleges under international agreements must allocate at least 25% of state funding towards scholarships and financial aid. In 2025, the “Academic Support 2025” scholarship was implemented that offered a one time grant to cover living expenses for students enrollment period at a public higher education institution.

The government also implemented laws stating that “higher education institutions must implement mandatory quotas to promote access for historically excluded groups.” 

Looking Ahead

Higher education can provide students with skills and knowledge to enter the workforce and increase their future earnings. Higher education can be a key way to help underrepresented groups out of poverty. With access to higher education in Ecuador moving in a positive direction, this trend is like a light at the end of the tunnel for thousands of students suffering from poverty.

– Danica Carmack

Danica is based in Stockton, CA, USA and focuses on Celebs and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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3 Ways ‘Moving The Goalposts’ is Empowering Girls in Kenya

Empowering Girls in KenyaEmpowerment means having the confidence, resources and opportunities to make decisions about one’s own life. However, many women in Kenya still face significant barriers to achieving this due to persistent poverty, unequal access to education, restrictive gender norms and limited economic opportunities. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that in rural areas of Kenya only 27.6% of women are considered empowered, while girls are much less likely than boys to complete their education due to factors such as poverty, child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

To address these challenges, the nonprofit organization Moving The Goalposts (MTG) has been using football as a tool for social change since 2001. Founded in Kilifi County, MTG describes itself as “a movement powered by sport, community and purpose.” Through its sports, education and health programs, the organization has reached over 50,000 girls and young women ages 9 to 25 across Kenya. Here are three ways Moving The Goalposts is empowering girls in Kenya.

Building Female Leadership Skills

Moving The Goalposts empowers girls by developing them into leaders within their own communities. The football program trains girls as peer mentors, referees and coaches, giving them the opportunities to develop leadership and communication skills on and off the pitch. There are 6,000 women in the program serving as mentors, supporting younger girls and acting as role models in their communities. These leadership abilities build confidence and encourage girls to use their voice to advocate for their rights in education and community development, as well as improving their future employment opportunities.

This is especially important as gender inequality persists in Kenya. Women’s opportunities take a hit after an early marriage or pregnancy, closing the door to higher education. A lack of affordable, quality child care worsens this cycle. The World Bank states that about 31% of 19-year-old girls are already married or have children, a figure that jumps to 49% among the poorest. Helping girls stay engaged in education is therefore key to MTG’s mission.

Supporting Education and School Retention

Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, yet in Kenya many women leave school without completing their education. According to the World Bank, in Kenya’s poorest areas, 51.3% of women have no education, compared to a national average of 17%. The MTG education program aims to reduce the number of girls who drop out by supporting their educational development, from primary to secondary school and even through vocational training. MTG has a 90% transition rate from primary to secondary school through its academic program and has supported the education of more than 5,000 girls.

To achieve this, MTG provides essential resources such as school fees and learning materials, allowing girls from low-income backgrounds to continue their education. This also gives them the opportunity to increase their future earning potential and improve outcomes for their families, helping break the cycle of poverty.

Improving Health Knowledge

The program considers access to health care and knowledge a fundamental right and trains peer mentors to educate girls on women’s health. MTG has provided these services to more than 50,000 girls and young women. This support is particularly important as teenage pregnancy remains common among girls living in poorer communities; in Kenya, 21% of women living in the poorest communities reported having experienced a teenage pregnancy. By providing accurate health information and peer support, MTG allows girls to make informed decisions about their futures. Better health outcomes can help girls stay in school, pursue employment opportunities and improve their long-term economic prospects.

Empowering Girls in Kenya

As Kenya continues working toward greater gender equality, organizations such as Moving The Goalposts demonstrate how sport can serve as a powerful tool for social and economic development. By helping girls develop leadership qualities, stay in school and make informed choices about their health and futures, the organization is creating opportunities that extend far beyond the football field. In doing so, MTG is helping thousands of young women in Kenya build brighter futures while contributing to the long-term fight against poverty.

– Emma Wheeler

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

Photo: Flickr

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The Clooney Foundation: Waging Justice for Women

Waging Justice for WomenWomen’s access to fundamental rights to free speech, health care and education are goals that Amal and George Clooney are actively working toward in more than 40 countries around the world. Their foundation’s stated aim is to defend free speech and women’s rights, focusing on freeing women from discrimination, child marriage and violence.

Waging Justice for Women

In their program, Waging Justice for Women, launched in 2022, the foundation aims to:

  • Challenge unjust laws before national, regional and international bodies and represent the women affected.
  • Establish mobile legal aid clinics to empower women to advance their rights.
  • Fund and mentor the next generation of African gender justice champions through the annual Waging Justice for Women fellowship.

Global Variations in Women’s Rights

Government action on women’s rights varies across the world. Norway and Sweden grant parents 13 months of paid parental leave, whilst in the United States, paid maternity leave is not federally mandated. Access to fundamental rights, whether parental leave or protections against violence, varies tremendously depending on where a woman lives.

Challenges Facing Young Girls

More than 12 million young girls worldwide find themselves in situations of abuse, discrimination, economic disparity and child marriage, according to Time magazine. Many women face these situations due to economic, educational and cultural systems that limit their choices and opportunities. The Clooney Foundation has teamed up with the Gates Foundation and Michelle and Barack Obama to help end child marriage and secure fundamental rights for women, with education access as its primary course of action. Research shows that access to education significantly increases women’s odds of avoiding child marriage, poverty, unintended pregnancies and early death.

Nicholas Burnett makes a similar case in his study, writing that education gives people the knowledge and tools needed to break the cycle of poverty. He notes that one in five adults globally, some 781 million people, cannot read a simple sentence with understanding, and that two-thirds of these illiterate adults are women, with illiteracy concentrated in low-income countries where severe poverty is widespread.

Impact of the Clooney Foundation

The Clooney Foundation has already changed the lives of many. It represents survivors and victims of rape and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has initiated a judicial investigation against the group that committed these crimes, holding those responsible accountable and granting thousands of women greater safety and protection in their homeland.

The foundation has also worked with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Obamas to help lower the child marriage rate in Malawi by 20%. While there is still much progress to be made, this work with the Malawian government has improved quality of life and expanded access to rights for young girls in the country.

Broader Impacts of Women’s Rights

Access to women’s rights positively impacts not only the woman herself but also the community around her. Rhonda E. Howard-Hassmann discusses how the more autonomy women gain, the more they devote themselves to their families and communities. Howard-Hassmann also cites a study from the Ivory Coast and Indonesia that found positive patterns of social connection, responsibility and trust within communities after women gained greater autonomy and rights.

The Clooney Foundation has made several important changes in the lives of countless women in over 40 countries, and it plans to continue this work for years to come.

– Sadie Lopez

Sadie is based in Seattle, USA and focuses on Good News, Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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How Digital Classrooms Are Expanding Education in Rwanda

Education in RwandaOver the past two decades, education has become a national priority in Rwanda, with investments in technology and the expansion of access to digital learning platforms. Through government-led reforms to increase classroom enrollment and prepare students for a progressively technology-driven world, Rwanda aims to reduce barriers to education and equip students with the necessary skills for future employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth.

According to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) 2024 Human Development Index, over 38% of Rwandans live below the national poverty line, and only 11.4 years of schooling are expected for them. Although challenges remain, including limited internet access and training for teachers, digital classrooms are facilitating modernized instruction in schools and creating new opportunities for students. As Rwanda continues to embrace educational innovation, these investments demonstrate how technology can support long-term poverty reduction and sustainable development.

The Amelioration of Education in Rwanda

Following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, an ethnic minority group in Rwanda and Burundi, Rwanda rebuilt many of its public institutions, including its education system. Over the past three decades, education has become a cornerstone of the country’s recovery and long-term development strategy.

Since then, the government has introduced policies to increase school enrollment, improve teaching quality and expand access to learning opportunities across the country. According to the Ministry of Education, Rwanda’s Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) prioritizes equitable access to quality education to prepare students for the country’s long-term economic development.

The Smart Rwanda Master Plan identifies technology as a crucial component, with the government’s objective of transforming Rwanda into a knowledge-based economy by expanding information and communication technology (ICT) across public services, including education. Officials recognize digital literacy as an essential skill for higher education and the contemporary workforce, while simultaneously supporting the country’s primary poverty reduction objectives.

Digital Classrooms

Digital classrooms are helping improve education in Rwanda by giving students greater access to interactive learning resources. Rwanda’s commitment to digital learning gained international attention through the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative, which launched in 2009 and has distributed more than 274,000 low-cost laptops to 1,618 primary schools. The program introduced students to interactive digital learning and coding. Although the country’s digital education strategy has since expanded beyond OLPC, the initiative laid the foundation for broader investments in educational technology. The program now reaches approximately 67% of Rwanda’s primary schools as they continue to integrate computers, tablets and internet-connected learning platforms into classrooms, helping students develop the digital and STEM skills needed for higher education and an increasingly technology-driven workforce.

The government has partnered with UNICEF, the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to strengthen digital infrastructure, expand internet connectivity and train more than 30,000 pre-primary through Grade 3 teachers in digital literacy and technology-based instruction. According to Rwanda’s Education Sector Strategic Plan, these partnerships support the country’s long-term vision of building an inclusive, high-quality education system that equips students with the knowledge and digital skills needed for future employment, economic opportunity and sustainable national development. Greater access to digital education gives students from rural communities and low-income households greater opportunities to pursue higher education, helping break cycles of intergenerational poverty.

New Opportunities

Although challenges remain, including inconsistent internet access in some rural areas and the continued need for teacher training, Rwanda continues to expand digital learning through sustained public investment and international partnerships. These efforts demonstrate how technology can improve educational outcomes while creating new opportunities for young people to participate in the country’s growing digital economy.

Rwanda’s economy has experienced steady growth, with the World Bank projecting GDP growth of 9.4% in 2025, up from 7.4% in 2024. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), Rwanda has emerged as one of Africa’s leading digital economies by embracing digitalization to expand employment opportunities, improve public services and drive economic growth. Demand for skilled workers continues to increase across finance, health care, agriculture, construction and ICT, creating career opportunities ranging from software engineering to risk management.

Global Partnerships

Rwanda’s digital transformation in education is largely driven by collaborations between the government and international partners. The Ministry of Education has collaborated with various organizations to enhance internet connectivity, improve school infrastructure and strengthen teacher training. These efforts aim to seamlessly integrate technology into daily learning while ensuring educators are proficient in effectively utilizing digital tools.

In 2024, the GPE approved a $31.29 million System Transformation Grant to strengthen foundational learning for the next four years. From 2022 to 2027, the World Bank is cofinancing a $30 million Multiplier Grant with GPE to improve digital infrastructure, teacher training and increase student retention. UNICEF also continues to expand digital learning opportunities and promote inclusive education for children nationwide. Together, these investments have helped Rwanda build one of Africa’s most robust education systems, contributing to a 95.8% primary enrollment rate.

The Future of Education in Rwanda

Education in Rwanda continues to evolve alongside the country’s broader vision for economic development and digital innovation. Over the past decade, Rwanda has built more than 1,100 schools and more than 22,000 classrooms. The number of smart classrooms has also increased from 726 in 2017 to more than 1,300 in 2026.

According to the International Trade Administration, Rwanda’s economy has grown significantly since 2016, with an estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $14.3 billion, making it one of Africa’s fastest-growing markets.

Maintaining progress in education and the economy requires continued investments in equitable access to digital learning and occupational advancements. By continuing to prioritize innovation and inclusive education, Rwanda can further strengthen its workforce, promote sustainable economic growth and create lasting pathways out of poverty for future generations.

– Ashley Belling

Ashley is based in Chicago, IL, USA and focuses on Good News, Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Digital Education in Developing Countries

Digital Education in Developing CountriesAccording to the Global Education Monitoring Report, developing countries are home to some 200 million young people ages 15 to 24 who have not completed primary school and need alternative pathways to gain basic skills for employment and prosperity. Low levels of education leave one in eight living below the poverty line, creating a need for digital education in developing countries.

Developing countries often have less diversified economies that rely on agriculture or raw materials such as timber, coal and oil. A country’s level of development is not determined by one singular test, but does look at the total value of goods and services a country provides. Underdeveloped and developing countries have lower Gross National Income (GNI), lower life expectancy and higher unemployment.

Digital Education in Developing Countries

Education develops skills at both intellectual and social levels. It promotes progress in health, climate resilience, sustainability and gender equality. Without these skills, people are less able to avoid poverty and pursue ecological development.

In lower- and middle-income countries, more than half of all 10-year-olds are unable to read and understand text. In 2024, there were 251 million children out of school, limiting the skills needed for labor markets. By increasing funds and resources, digital education in developing countries can help promote learning and provide children with greater chances of acquiring the skills they need.

South Africa has seen similar trends, with children under age 17, who make up 43.1% of the country’s population, among the groups most affected by poverty. According to Statistics South Africa, children remained the most vulnerable group in the country, with nearly half still living below the poverty line in 2023. Children living in rural areas face even greater challenges, as they often lack internet access and other essential educational resources.

Education remains one of the strongest investments a country can make. Research shows that in developing countries, every dollar invested in education generates $10 to $15 in economic growth. Investing in education can drive a country’s growth, increasing earning potential and decreasing poverty. Protecting children’s right to education aids local communities, creating more opportunities to thrive while promoting an equal chance at success.

Digital education supports teaching and learning through online courses, virtual classrooms and applications. Not only does this provide basic education, but it also helps improve digital skills that have become necessary amid the world’s digitalization. Online learning platforms create flexibility, making education more accessible around the world.

Current Developing Countries’ Initiatives

In 2020, Malaysia introduced its Digital Educational Learning Initiative (DELIMa), an online platform students can use to access applications, communication tools and learning resources. Malaysia’s Ministry of Education created the initiative to make learning more accessible while supporting the country’s move toward a more technology-influenced society.

DELIMa provides two programs: Future Skills For All (FS4A) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED). FS4A promotes digital development and reduces education inequalities by engaging learners through social media. GCED strengthens and grows a 21st-century mindset, encouraging learners to engage with communities on a local and global level.

South Africa has also embraced online education, increasing enrollment by more than 50% from 2020 to 2022. One of the country’s leading online learning platforms, CambriLearn, is now an Independent Examinations Board (IEB)-registered online school whose accredited courses meet benchmarks accepted by other schools worldwide.

Koa Academy has also contributed to the rise in South African education enrollment. The Koa Foundation’s initiative aims to expand high-quality education for communities facing education inequality. The foundation works to close the gap in educational opportunity by providing personalized learning that supports each student’s individual needs, easing challenges in performance and future opportunities. Current programs have supported 932 learners in strengthening their skills in mathematics and science.

In the Philippines, education is widely seen as a foundation for improving socioeconomic status, with many families believing that finishing school widens future opportunities. However, challenges include rising tuition costs and declining performance. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), more than a third of Filipino students fall into the bottom international quintile of the socioeconomic scale, the largest such share among the groups measured.

Online schooling in the Philippines has become one of the most convenient and accessible forms of education, tailoring learning to individual students. Another challenge facing education in the country is low student retention. There is a dramatic decrease from 56.7% of children ages 10 to 14 finishing primary school to only 42.5% reaching junior high school and just 31.5% completing senior high school.

The Rise of Education Enrollment

As digital education in developing countries becomes more widely embraced, population growth and demand for education have both increased. By improving accessibility and affordability, online education now plays a crucial role in students’ schooling. Countries such as India, Iran and Pakistan have seen 7 million students enroll in online learning programs.

India alone has approximately 35% of its population enrolled in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), ranking behind only the United States in enrollment. E-schools provide greater opportunities for those seeking education and employment, expanding access and improving employment prospects for millions.

With 32% of the global population lacking internet connection, expanding digital access will allow more citizens to receive quality education. Regardless of country, online education can serve as a tool for giving students an equal chance at learning and success.

– Jacquelyn Orr

Jacquelyn is based in Philadelphia, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How edX is Breaking Educational Inequality in India

edx in indiaIndia’s education system remains deeply fractured by geography and social identity. Although the national education Gini index improved from 72.4% in 1986 to 46.6% in 2023, inequality still exceeds 50% in six states — Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Rural-urban gaps have barely narrowed; rural literacy languishes at 73.5% compared to 87.7% urban. Access to schools drops sharply from 91% within one kilometer at primary level to just 72% for upper primary and 48% for secondary, leaving millions of rural children cut off from quality learning. Where schools exist, they are crippled by extreme student-teacher ratios (70:1 in Barwani, 60:1 in Kalahandi), a shortage of trained teachers and inadequate infrastructure. About 72% of Barwani schools lack science labs and 65% lack digital tools.

PARAKH 2024 data exposes widening learning gaps between “Others” and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students. The language score gap grows from five points in Grade 3 to 13 points in Grade 9. ST students average just 47 in language compared to 60 and 32 in mathematics compared to 40. These gaps solidify early and compound over time.

How Inequality Becomes Earnings Inequality

The urban-rural divide is the primary driver, with a rural education Gini of 0.448 compared to urban 0.292. This split alone accounts for 30.1% of total educational inequality in India. Unequal resources sustain this gap: rural schools battle crumbling infrastructure and teacher absenteeism. Digital exposure can add 4.5 years of schooling but remains out of reach for many. Education quality scales tightly with household wealth, while large family sizes reduce attainment. This traps most workers in low-productivity agriculture or informal services, a cycle that perpetuates low earnings across generations.

The six states with the highest educational inequality are also India’s poorest. NITI Aayog’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index 2023 reveals that Bihar has more than 33% multidimensional poverty. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh consistently rank near the bottom in per-capita income. In these regions, educational exclusion directly dictates economic survival. A rural child in these states faces cumulative disadvantage: poor foundational skills lead to low-skill labor. This locks families into subsistence-level incomes, passing poverty from one generation to the next. Early disadvantage compounds with caste and gender exclusions — college-level inequality remains frozen and Dalit business ownership remains negligible. Without intervention, education inequality transforms into entrenched poverty.

Educational Inequality in India

Traditional education fails due to stark rural-urban disparities: only 18.47% of rural schools have internet compared to 47.29% urban. Just 44.9% have computers compared to 68.7% urban. Only 38% of rural households have a secondary school within one kilometer. Consequently, 60% of undergraduates now choose online education based on affordability, but traditional institutions struggle to adapt. The system relies on rote memorization — 75% of what students learn is through repetition — failing to build critical thinking. ASER 2024 found 75% of Class 3 students cannot read Grade 2 text. One-size-fits-all pacing ignores individual differences, leaving about 40% of students disengaged or behind. Overcrowded classrooms (30:1 ratios) make interactive learning impossible. The half-life of skills has dropped from 26 years to just two to five years today, but semester-based systems cannot pivot. Though 98% of universities offer online classes, most use outdated pedagogy. The adaptive learning market is projected at $5.3 billion by 2025, signaling a deep misalignment with how people learn and work today.

edX: World-Class Education, Anywhere, for Less

Founded in 2012 by Harvard and MIT professors, edX offers individual courses, professional certificates and accredited degrees from more than 50 partner institutions. It remains governed by Harvard and MIT. Learners can audit courses at no cost to explore new areas risk-free, or pay for the verified track (starting at about $50) to earn official certificates recognized by employers worldwide. edX is not replacing schools but bypassing structural bottlenecks. It offers structured, university-level content that is affordable, globally relevant in technology and business and accessible via smartphones.

edX reaches 73 million learners globally, with more than 730,000 in India (11% of the total). Participation is growing rapidly in non-metro cities like Bareilly and Vijayawada. Through Emeritus partnerships with top Indian universities and Access Partnerships offering free and low-cost tech skills to marginalized communities — including women and rural youth — the platform directly tackles poverty. Career services are tied to labor market analytics, ensuring skills align with actual hiring demands. The financial impact is tangible: globally, 43% of certificate earners achieve new jobs, pay raises or promotions. Success stories — like Moses launching a cybersecurity career through free tuition and Colleen landing a full-time role post-graduation — demonstrate the model’s effectiveness.

In India, strategic partnerships scale this impact dramatically. With the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), more than 590,000 students in Andhra Pradesh — one of the six high-inequality states — completed more than 318,000 credit-bearing courses in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. For graduates, these credentials directly translate into entry-level IT roles offering salaries three to four times higher than agricultural wages. This pulls entire households out of poverty. With the National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), programs from MIT and Berkeley meet the National Association of Software and Service Companies’ (NASSCOM) reskilling needs. Through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), vocational training reaches more than 10 million learners across the country.

Looking Ahead

The economics are striking: a subsidized course costing about ₹2,000 can yield a ₹25,000 monthly salary increment. A learner in Bareilly can now access the same MIT curriculum as a student in Mumbai, effectively flattening the geographic playing field. With 68,000 boot camp graduates, more than 40,000 employment referrals and 2.4 million career touchpoints, edX is systematically working to dismantle the barriers that convert education gaps into generational poverty. By transforming education into distributed, market-aligned infrastructure, edX ensures that where a child is born need not dictate their economic destiny.

– Malak Kamel

Malak is based in Amman, Jordan and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Vocational Education in Argentina Helps Reduce Poverty

Vocational Education in ArgentinaTechnical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is a method of education that teaches students practical skills and offers hands-on experience in the workplace. With more than one-third of Argentina living below the national poverty line and unemployment rates increasing to levels like those recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, access to education and employment opportunities remains critical. By providing skills that will help people acquire employment and succeed in their careers, vocational training in Argentina can help to reduce rates of unemployment and poverty.

Poverty in Argentina

Although there are many factors that contribute to poverty in Argentina, two factors that seem to be related to the risk of poverty are education level and employment status. Among Argentines who are aged 16 and older, 19.6% of those living below the poverty line do not have an education and 18.3% only have a primary education.

Additionally, in early 2025, Argentina reported an unemployment rate of 7.9%, the highest level recorded since 2021. This decrease in official employment corresponds with many workers transitioning to unreliable sources of income such as self-employment and casual jobs.

What Vocational Education Offers

TVET offers students skills and experience working in specific career fields such as:

  • Construction
  • Services (e.g., Administration, Tourism, Graphic Design, Multimedia Training and Computer Science)
  • Agriculture
  • Manufacturing (e.g., Mechanics, Energy, Electronics, Clothing and Textiles)
  • Health
  • Safety, Environment and Hygiene

TVET consists of three levels of vocational education. Secondary Technical Education combines general high school education with training in specific technical industries and teaches students about professional practices to prepare them for entering the workplace. After completing secondary education (technical or general), students can move on to Higher Technical Education, allowing them to specialize their skill set within a certain industry. Finally, Professional Training is offered to people already in the workforce so that they can improve, renew and acquire professional skills.

The Impact of Vocational Education in Argentina

After the socio-economic crisis that occurred in Argentina in the early 2000s, the government passed two laws that reestablished the importance of vocational education. In 2005, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Law (LETP as the Spanish acronym) was passed. A year later, the National Education Law (LEN as the Spanish acronym) replaced the Federal Education Law. The main goals of these laws are to:

  • Improve the coordination in Argentina’s education system across different regions
  • Address the unique needs of various school districts while complying with federal guidelines
  • Guarantee the right to an education
  • Improve the inclusivity and quality of higher education 

The LETP emphasizes increased funding and improving the quality of vocational education through updates in the curriculum, infrastructure and technology used to teach students.

These changes within the TVET system are important because higher education has been shown to reduce the risk of unemployment and increase average wages. Among unemployed Argentines, only 4.1% of them have a post-secondary education compared to 7.8% who do not have a secondary education and 7.2% who do. Additionally, people with a post-secondary education tend to earn 63% more in wages compared to people with just a secondary education.

In the early 1980s, the nonprofit organization Star of Hope established a small school in the remote region of Namqom that continues to help people develop practical skills to gain employment. Subjects taught at this school have included hairdressing, bricklaying, electrical engineering and cooking and baking. Selsa Diaz, a cooking and baking instructor, stated that the school’s primary objective was that “each student should be able to have some income” upon graduation. The 36 students at this school learn how to bake and cook various dishes. After completing their course work, students receive a diploma as proof of what they accomplished. Diaz remarked on the work ethic of her students stating that “everybody makes an effort to learn everyday.”

Looking Ahead

As the rates of poverty and employment have continued to rise in Argentina, the importance of learning practical skills and gaining job experience has become increasingly apparent. The TVET system seeks to empower students by giving them the knowledge, skills and confidence to obtain financial stability. By providing people with higher education and a chance to acquire skills that will benefit them in the workplace, vocational education in Argentina can also provide people with the opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty.

– Lily Alexander

Lily is based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr